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BOOKS BY DOUGLAS FRAZAR 


PERSEVERANCE ISLAND; or, The Robinson 
Crusoe of the Nineteenth Century. Cloth. 
Illustrated $1.50 

THE LOG OF THE MARYLAND; or, Adven- 
tures at Sea. Cloth. Illustrated . . . 1.50 

PRACTICAL BOAT-SAILING. With numerous 

Diagrams and Illustrations. Cloth . . . 1.00 


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See paffe 118 



LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


OR 


ADVENTURES AT SEA 


DOUGLAS FRAZAR 

» \ 

AUTHOR OF “ PERSEVERANCE ISLAND OR THE ROBINSON CRUSOE OF THE 
19TH CENTURY” ‘‘PRACTICAL BOAT SAILING” ETC. 



BOSTON MDCCCXCI 

. LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS 

10 MILK STREET NEXT “THE OLD SOUTH MEETING HOUSE" 

NEW YORK CHAS. T. DILLINGHAM 

718 AND 720 Broadway 




Copyright, 1890, by Lee and Shepard 


All right (reserved S P A TS 


f BcOQ OF THE MARYLAND 


BOSTON 

S. J. Parkhill & Co., Printers 


TO MY BOYIS, 



Jimlxjevst Cf^jevavxl^ 


ARE INSCRIBED 


THESE ADVENTURES OF MY EARLY MANHOOD. 




PREFACEr ' 


Recitals of events that occur at sea are not, as 
a rule, preserved; but the ocean has its joys, 
pleasures, and pains, as well as the land; and in 
this “ Log ” are presented some of the most striking, 
that happened on a voyage abounding in adventure, 
profit, and pleasure, and very nearly disaster before 
its successfulpftermination. 





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CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

ANTECEDENTS OF THE AUTHOR. — THE PURCHASE OF THE 
MARYLAND. — HER FITTING-OUT FOR A VOYAGE TO 
THE EAST INDIES. — SHIPPING OF THE CREW. — COOK, 
CHINEYBOY, AND CARPENTER. — THE DEPARTURE. — 

THE CHOOSING OF THE WATCHES, AND THE FIRST 
NIGHT AT SEA 1 

4 

% 

CHAPTER II. 

A NECESSARY CHAPTER TO ENJOY THE VOYAGE. — DE- 
SCRIPTION OF THE MARYLAND. — HER RIG, ARMAMENT, 

AND DIMENSIONS. — FORECASTLE, COOK’S GALLEY, CAR- 
PENTER’S ROOM, CABIN, AND THE USUAL ARRANGE- 
MENTS OF A SEA-GOING VESSEL. — BINNACLE LIUHT, 
BOATS, CANNON, MUSKETS, CUTLASSES, BOARDING-PIKES, 

ETC. — WATCHES AND DISCIPLINE 10 


CHAPTER III. 

SEASICKNESS OF THE PASSENGER, MR. FRISBEE. — LOOK- 
ING OVER THE HARPOONS AND GRAINS, AND FITTING 
THEM WITH STAFFS AND LINES. — DESCRIPTION OF POR- 
POISES AND THEIR PECULIARITIES. — ARRANGEMENT OF 
A STANDING-PLACE ON THE BOBSTAYS TO STRIKE FISH 
FROM. — CARE OF THE FIREARMS. — MR. FRISBEE IN- 
STALLED AS ARMORER. — PORPOISE-CATCHING IN A GALE 

OF WIND . , . 

vii 


CONTENTS 


Vlll 


CHAPTER IV. 

PAGE 

NO HURRY TO REACH OUR DESTINATION. — DUTIES OF MAS- 
TER AND CREW. — SUNDAY AT SEA. — ARRANGEMENT 
OF STATEROOMS. — DAILY ROUTINE. — CLOUD PICTURES. 

— THE DOGS TANNER AND C^SAR. — MELODEON GOTTEN 
UP OUT OF THE HOLD, AND PLACED IN THE CARIN. — 

LOVE OF MICE FOR MUSIC. — BACKGAMMON, CHESS, AND 
CHECKERS. — READING BY MOONLIGHT. — CLOSING RE- 
FLECTIONS 39 

CHAPTER V. 

CROSSING THE LINE. — DESCRIPTION OF THIS ANCIENT 
CEREMONY. — NAMES OF THE VICTIMS. — NEPTUNE COMES 


ON BOARD, AND THE VESSEL IS HOVE TO 54 

CHAPTER VI. 

SPEAK THE BARK EMMA C. JONES OF NEW BEDFORD. — TAKE 


A PULL IN A WHALE-BOAT. — EXAMINE A SPLENDID SPECI- 
MEN OF THE NAUTILUS, OR PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR. — 
BUTTERFLIES AND BIRDS COME ON BOARD. — FLYING- 
FISH AND BONETA 73 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE boatswain’s YARN. — AND SAILORS’ RELIGIOUS 

BELIEF, AND IDEA OF HEAVEN 90 

CHAPTER VIII. 

SWIMMING- JACKETS AND SEA-BATHS, BOTH MEN AND DOGS. 

— CAPTURE SMALL SHARK AND REMORA. — SHOOT FLY- 
ING-FISH, AND CATCH THEM IN A NET. — WHALE ALONG- 
SIDE. — WHITE WATER. — JUMP ON THE BACK OF A 
SHARK TO PROVE THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS. — THE 
cook’s scare. — RUDDER-FISH 102 

CHAPTER IX. 

HIRAM strong’s YARN OF PI.UCK BRINGS LUCK 


123 


CONTENTS 


IX 


CHAPTER X. 

PAGE 

VISIT THE SHIP OLIVER PUTNAM. — STRANGE SURPRISE FOR 
MR. FRISBEE, WHO FINDS AN OLD FRIEND IN THE CAP- 
TAIN, AND A PACKAGE ON BOARD ADDRESSED TO HIM- 
SELF. — CARPENTER MAKES A WINDMILL AND TURNING- 
LATHE. — DISTIL SALT WATER, AND OBTAIN FRESH. — 
OBTAIN GOOD COLD WATER BY A PECULIAR PROCESS. — 
DIVING FOR PLATES. — EXCITING ADVENTURE WITH A 
MAD DOG 

CHAPTER XI. 

CHANTY SONGS. — KITE-FLYING. — FIREWORKS AT AN IM- 
MENSE ALTITUDE. — THE mate’s YARN 

CHAPTER XII. 

PUT INTO THE ISLAND OF ST. HELENA, AND VISIT THE TOMB 

OF NAPOLEON, ETC 179 

CHAPTER XIII. 

ALBATROSS FISHING OFF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE . . . 190 

CHAPTER XIV. 

THE captain’s YARN, A SAILOR’s HOLIDAY. — A CALM 
DAY, LOWER THE BOAT TO SKETCH THE BARK. — A GREAT 
day’s sport shooting albatross from an open BOAT. 

— CHARGE A MYRIAD OF BIRDS, AND FIND THEM FEED- 
ING ON THE REMAINS OF A GIGANTIC SQUID, WHICH IN 
LIFE MUST HAVE FAR EXCEEDED THE SIZE OF ANY 
WHADE ; OR, IN FACT, OF ANY KNOWN ANIMAL THAT 
HAS EVER INHABITED THE EARTH 206 

CHAPTER XV. 

FOURTH OF JULY AT SEA. — SALUTING THE FLAG. -BIG- 
GUN PRACTICE. — THE MATE’S LUCKY SHOT. — SHOOTING 
AT A MARK WITH THE MUSKETS. — CUTLASS DRILL ON 
THE MAIN DECK. — DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS. — THE 
MARINE BRASS BAND 233 


139 


157 


X 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER XVI. 

THE mate’s YAKN, A BOAT ADVENTURE IN THE GULF OF 
PE-CHI-LI 


CHAPTER XVII. 

THE mariner’s compass. — CATCHING SNAKES AT SEA. — 
SHOOTING BIRDS ON^TIE WING IN THE INDIAN OCEAN BY 
CARRYING A GUN IN THE WATER WHILE SWIMMING. — 
THE mate’s japan SNAKE-STORY 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

INTELLIGENCE OF SAILORS. — THE SECOND MATE’S YARN, 
AN ADVENTURE WITH A WHALE . . . 


CHAPTER XIX. 

MAKE THE LAND. — ARRIVE AT AN JER. — VISIT THE DUTCH 
FORT AND MAHOMETAN TEMPLE, AND THE FAMOUS BAN- 
YAN-TREE. — MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A CHARMING 
ENGLISH GENTLEMAN WHO RELATES TO US AN ADVEN- 
TURE THAT HAPPENED TO HIM IN NORTHERN CHINA, 
WHICH PROVES INTENSELY INTERESTING. — ARRANGE 
WITH HIM FOR A TRIP INTO THE INTERIOR THE NEXT 
MORNING IN HOPES TO GET A SHOT AT A TIGER, WITH 
WHICH OUR HOST TELLS US THE COUNTRY ABOUNDS . . 


CHAPTER XX. 

A SUCCESSFUL TIGER-HUNT 


CHAPTER XXI. 

MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF TWO YANKEE WHALING 
CAPTAINS. — TAKE A RIDE TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, ONE 
HUNDRED AND TWENTY FEET HIGH. — AN ADVENTURE 
WITH A HUGE BOA-CONSTRICTOR. — DEATH OF C^SAR, 


PAGE 

245 


257 


276 


289 


311 


325 


CONTENTS 


XI 


CHAPTER XXII. 

DANGERS OF THE SEA OF JAVA. — DISCIPLINE THE CREW 
IN CASE OF AN ATTACK OF PIRATES. — ADVENTURE 
WITH SHARKS AND BLACKFISH 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

ATTACKED BY CHINESE PIRATES OFF GUTZLAFF. — ARRIVE 
SAFELY AT WOOSUNG. — END OF THE VOYAGE .... 


PAGE 

339 


359 







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4 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER I. 

ANTECEDENTS OF THE AUTHOR. THE PURCHASE OF 

THE MARYLAND. — HER FITTING-OUT FOR A VOYAGE TO 

THE EAST INDIES. SHIPPING OF THE CREW. COOK, 

CHINEYBOY, AND CARPENTER. THE DEPARTURE. 

THE CHOOSING OP THE WATCHES, AND THE FIRST 
NIGHT AT SEA. 

I WAS very young for a sailor, and yet I had just 
arrived home from a voyage round the world, as chief 
officer of the clipper ship Storm King, from Shanghai, 
China, for New York, loaded with teas and silk, in 
the year 185^, when only twenty years of age. 

Gladly received by a loving father and mother, I 
was not sorry for a short time to enjoy the pleasures 
of the paternal mansion, and rest from the excite- 
ment of sea life. 

My father was a merchant and ship-owner of con- 
siderable prominence in the city of B , and came 

from a race of seamen, having himself been captain 
of a vessel at the age of twenty-one, and once brought 


2 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


over the mail and latest authentic news from Russia 
in his own brig. Coming from such a stock, it was 
as natural for me to take to a seafaring life as for a 
duck to take to water ; so that when my class in Dr. 
Dixwell’s school stood up in a row to be checked off 
for Harvard, I decided to forego the pleasure of being 
matriculated, and walked down onto the wharves and 
shipped as a boy, or green hand, in the clipper ship 
Neptune’s Favorite, for a voyage round the world, at 
the enormous stipend of three dollars per month, and 
the daily cleaning-out of the pig-pen, as I found out 
afterwards, thrown in free. 

From this apprenticeship I rose gradually through 
the different grades of ordinary seaman, able seaman, 
third mate, second mate, till at twenty years of age 
I came home, as I have said, chief officer of a large 
East-India ship. 

I had not been at home long before the restless- 
ness of the sailor on land began to manifest itself, 
and my desire to again breathe the free ocean air 
became more and more uncontrollable. 

One day my father said to me, in his quiet and 
business-like way, speaking like a sailor direct to the 
point, “ How would you like to take command of a 
vessel to China, and establish a house there, with 
your cousin, Mr. Edward Frisbee?” 

“ I should like it of all things,” said I, in reply. 

“Very well,” continued he, in his practical way, “ go 
down to the wharves to-day, and pick out the vessel 


PURCHASE OF THE MARYLAND 


3 


that you think will suit you, and I will purchase her 
for you if the price is reasonable.” 

Eagerly rushed I to the wharves to seek my bride 
of the sea, but, having a little respect for the purse- 
strings of my father, I passed many brilliant, dashing 
clippers by, and fixed upon the modest, rather old- 
fashioned bark Maryland, built by Paul Curtis, and 
sound and strong in every timber, and of about two 
hundred and sixty tons burden. 

The arrangement for the purchase was soon made, 
and into the dry dock went the Maryland for a 
sheathing of new copper and a general overhauling, 
preparatory to her East-India voyage. These com- 
pleted, she was towed to the head of the wharf, and 
the customary advertisement of the day was inserted 
in the daily papers. 

FOR iSHAinroHA];, chi::wa. 

T he A 1 copper-fastened Bark Maryland 
will have quick despatch for the above- 
named port. For freight or passage, apply to 
Capt. Daniel Frisbee, on board, or at No. 

S Street. I. S. T. F. 

Ever since the Maryland had been purchased, my 
time had been fully occupied in supervising her 
preparations for sea, and seeing to the storing of the 
cargo. We had considerable freight consigned, but 
the bulk was taken by us on owner’s account, and 
consisted of all kinds of hardware, shipchandlery, 
agricultural implements, and quite a large venture in 
American drills, or cotton cloths, at that time just com- 
mencing to be appreciated by the Chinese for clothing 



4 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


purposes. After all the cargo was ou board, and the 
hatches battened down, the next question of impor- 
tance was the shipping of the crew. In the days of 
which I am writing, the American sailor had almost 
disappeared, and his place was fast being filled by 
Danes, Swedes, and Dagos (a sailor’s term for a 
Portuguese). For chief officer,#a Mr. Cutter was 
chosen, who had before made several trips to China, 
and at one time commanded for a short period one of 
the opium schooners of those days called the Nan- 
keen, and afterwards the schooner yacht Fenimore 
Cooper. 

Mr. Cutter made a very acceptable first officer, and 
was a good, practical seaman, but rather wanting in 
education ; but of that, more hereafter. For second 
mate, the services of a Mr. Jones were secured, who 
was of a good, jolly. Cape Ann fisherman stock, but who 
had never made any Eastern voyages, or been round 
the capes, as sailors say ; i. e.. Cape Horn or Cape 
of Good Hope. After the two mates, a cook and 
steward combined, in the person of Julius Africanus, 
' was secured, who, for the consideration of a monthly 
salary of thirty dollars and the slush thrown in, con. 
sented to act as Ganymede to the whole ship’s crew. 
And now for the crew itself. Ten men were shipped, 
whose various ages, country, and rating you will find 
further on. Thus everything having been gotten 
ready, and a pilot engaged, one fair Saturday morn- 
ing, April 10, 185-, the gallant bark was loosed 


OFF FOR CHINA 


5 


from the wharf, and with a favoring breeze from the 

N.N.W., started down the harbor of B . Asher 

hawsers were thrown off, a parting salute was fired, 
from her port and starboard carronades, to the many- 
personal friends who thronged the end of the wharf. 
Of course you understand that Edward Frisbee, the 
cousin, was a pas^iger, on this his first voyage, to 
establish a business in the far East. Our leave- 
takings were all over, and at 2.30 p.m., the pilot was 
discharged, and the open sea was before us, out into 
which gallantly pointed the Maryland on an E.S.E. 
course. 

Besides the passenger Mr. Frisbee, there were two 
other personages on board, each peculiar in his Avay, 
which have not been mentioned. One was a young 
Chinese boy of about fourteen years of age, whom 
Mr. Cutter hid brought home with him from his last 
voyage, and who passed by the name of Chineyboy, 
all in one word, and who acted as cabin boy and a 
sort of steward, and was under the immediate charge 
of the cook, as Mr. Cutter, by agreement and arrange- 
ment before sailing, gave up all rights and claims to 
his services, and was only desirous of having the 
youn^ fellow reach his home again safely, as he did 
not seem contented in the United States? 

Besides Chineyboy, we shipped as carpenter a 
connection by marriage, of both m^^self and the pas- 
senger, Mr. Frisbee, whose name was Charles Dan- 
bury, one of the pleasantest, most ingenious and 


6 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


drollest fellows it was ever my lot to meet, and 
of whom yon will hear more hereafter. This was 
his first voyage. He was bald, though not forty 
years of age ; and some one on board started the joke 
that he was not old enough to be naturally bald, but 
that he had worn the hair off his head by holding 
open the lid of his chest, while he sought for tools 
with both hands. 

The afternoon was passed in getting the anchors on 
board from off the bow, and lashed to the deck, where 
they were to remain during the long sea voyage 
ahead of us. 

We had on board, also, two other creatures that 
have not yet been announced. One of these was 
a fine young Newfoundland dog, named Caesar, and a 
companion, a large St. Bernard, called Tanner, whom 
I did not know was even on board until after we 
were in blue water, when Mr. Cutter, the mate, to 
my amazement, let him out of his stateroom when 
it was too late to object, and said, — 

“ Captain, don’t be angry with me ; I couldn’t part 
with Tanner, and I was afraid to ask your permission 
to bring him, so I smuggled him on board with the 
intention of acknowledging the deceit when it would 
be too late to remedy it.” 

I was annoyed at first, at this unforeseen addition 
to our number, but in a very short time I had for- 
given the mate his duplicity, and Tanner was accepted 
as one of the family. 


NAMES OF THE CREW 


7 


As we sped along seaward, with a favoring breeze, 
six o’clock approached, or the beginning of the second 
dog-watch, and it was time to call the crew together 
and choose the watches for the long voyage ahead of 
us. The crew, ten in all, were therefore mustered 
aft, by the mainmast, and the choosing commenced, 
the second mate, Mr. Jones, choosing for the cap- 
tain’s, or starboard watch, and the mate, Mr. Cutter, 
for his watch, or the port watch. The selection 
resulted as set forth in the following table : — 


STARBOARD WATCH, OR CAPTAIN’S WATCH. 


Name. 

Country. 

Age. 

Rating. 

Pete Ogley, 

Norwegian. 

28 

Able seaman. 

Hiram Strong, 

American. 

82 

Able seaman. 

Antonio Sylvester, 

Dago. 

25 

Able seaman. 

Michael Flynn, 

Irishman. 

24 

Able seaman. 

Dee-Dong, 

Frenchman. 

28 

Ordinary seaman. 


PORT WATCH, OR MATE’S WATCH. 


Name. 

Country. 

Age. 

Rating. 

Jacob Dantze, 

Dane. 

30 

Able seaman. 

Hans Speiler, 

Dane. 

24 

Able seaman. 

Carl Sygnvalt, 

Swede. 

31 

Able seaman. 

George Albion, 

Englishman. 

31 

Able seaman. 

Louis Allonio, 

Dago. 

24 

Ordinary seaman. 



8 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


After the watches had been chosen, I took a stand 
at the break of the poop, and spoke to the crew some- 
what as follows : — 

“ My men, we are about to undertake a long voy- 
age, which can only be successfully effected by 
each and every man doing his duty. This is not a 
clipper ship, and there will be no attempt made to 
overwork you to secure a quick passage. Order and 
system must, however, rule, and implicit obedience 
will be expected and demanded. There can be but 
one head of a vessel on the high seas. No foul lan- 
guage will be permitted, and no abuse of the crew 
by the officers. On Sundays, nothing will be under- 
taken except what is actually called for to secure the 
safety of the vessel, and force her forward towards 
her destined port. No grog will be served on this 
voyage, and a willing service is expected from each 
of you ; and I hope, by fair treatment, to gain the 
approbation of both my officers and men, and ask 
of you, in return, a ready and willing obedience. 
Strike eight bells, and let the port watch go below.” 

My speech seemed to ' be received with approba- 
tion ; and the crew, after three hearty cheers, moved 
forward, and Mr. Jones took charge of the quarter- 
deck. 

The sun had long since set in golden glory on our 
starboard quarter, and, as the Maryland forged along 
with a fair wind, I watched the heavens, brilliant with 
a thousand stars, and proudly walked the quarter- 


NIGHT AT SEA 


9 


deck of this, my first command, and built castles in 
the air. 

The pure sea breeze brought quiet and refreshment 
to my sailor’s heart, and the murmur of the waves, 
as they lashed our port quarter, and sailed aloi^as 
if to keep us company, was music in my earsr An^ 
thus passed the lovely night, for I was on deck much 
more than below, as we had not yet made offing- 
enough to please my sailor’s instinct, which fears 
nothing so much as the proximity of land. We were 
also, as yet, in the line of coasting-vessels and steam- 
ers, and extra caution was to be observed. In the 
middle watch, the wind freshened so that the main 
royal was furled, but was again set at daybreak ; and 
as the breaking of a beautiful day commenced to fore- 
shadow itself in the east, I slipped below to take 
some needed rest, leaving Mr. Jones in charge in the 
morning watch. 


10 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER 11. 

A NECESSARY CHAPTER TO ENJOY THE VOYAGE. DE- 

SCRIPTION OF THE MARYLAND. — HER RIG, ARMAMENT, 
AND DIMENSIONS. FORECASTLE, COOk’s GALLEY, CAR- 

PENTER’S ROOM, CABIN, AND THE USUAL ARRANGE- 
MENTS OF A SEA-GOING VESSEL. BINNACLE LIGHT, 

BOATS, CANNON, MUSKETS, CUTLASSES, BOARDING-PIKES, 
ETC. WATCHES, DISCIPLINE, AND A GENERAL DESCRIP- 

TION OF THE VESSEL. 

Of course the young people for whom I am writing 
this sea-yarn will want to know, in the first place, 
what kind of a looking vessel the Maryland was. 
How large, what accommodations, armament, etc. ; 
so we will devote this chapter to that purpose. The 
Maryland, as I have said, was a good, strong vessel, 
but by no means a clipper. Like all the models of 
Paul Curtis, she was an admirable sea-boat, and I 
think, take it all in all, the best I have ever put my 
foot aboard of: far superior to the famous clipper 
ships, which, in many instances, were the wettest 
vessels, in heavy weather, ever constructed, their 
sharp model keeping them continually buried and 
shipping seas when hove to in a gale of wind. 

The Maryland, on the contrary, hardly ever took a 



See page 10 




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DESCRIPTION OF THE MARYLAND 


11 


drop of water on deck, even in the heaviest gale. 
She was about one hundred and ten feet in length, 
with full, fair bows, and the picture preceding this 
chapter is a very excellent representation of her. 
She was full bark-rigged ; that is to say, she carried 
square sails on her foremast and mainmast, and fore 
and aft sails (a spanker and gaff-topsail) on her 
mizzen. 

For medium-sized sea-going vessels, of not too 
great dimensions, this bark-rig has been pronounced 
by seamen as the best and handiest in the world, as 
well as the safest. It only went out of use when the 
enormous clipper ships were built. The Maryland 
was two hundred and sixty tons burden, so you see 
she was not a large vessel: just the right size to 
handle easily with a small crew, not at all over- 
sparred, in fact, rather undersparred if anything, 
which made her very stanch and safe in squalls and 
heavy weather. 

On the main deck, which ran from stem to stern, 
were erected several buildings, or houses, which 
I will try to describe : this main deck was enclosed 
in the customary manner, by what are called bul- 
warks, or sides, that were about as high as a man’s 
head ; that is to say, if you were standing on the main 
deck, you could not look out onto the water without 
climbing up the sides to do so, unless the vessel 
was pitching about, and should thus give you an 
occasional view of the ocean blue. 


12 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Now, in the bows was built a little deck that was 
only a foot lower than the bulwarks, and which is 
called the top-gallant forecastle, and is reached 
from the main deck by two step-ladders of three 
steps each, on either side of the deck, firmly fast- 
ened down. This little top-gallant forecastle is where 
the seamen stand in the night to keep the lookout, 
and is also the deck from which they go out on the 
bowsprit to furl the jibs, and upon which the anchors 
are taken in-board ; and it also has a capstan upon it. 
Just under this deck, or rather, at the break, and for- 
ward of the foremast, is the heavy, massive windlass, 
upon which the iron cables of the anchors are hove 
in and wound up when recovering them after 
anchoring. 

Just abaft the foremast came the forward house, 
or forecastle as it is called. This house, built solidly 
upon the main deck, rises possibly a foot higher than 
the bulwarks, and has sliding doors on each side. It 
runs quite a distance aft, leaving a space of perhaps 
six feet on each side between itself and the sides of 
the vessel. 

The forward part of this house is the home of the 
crew when off duty, and the sides are lined with 
bunks inside, one above the other, with window and 
shutter to each top berth. In the centre, from an over- 
head beam, hangs a large lamp with an open wick, 
which is kept lighted all the time, for the purpose 
mainly of giving the crew something to light their pipes 


FORECASTLE, GALLEY, ETC. 13 

at, for matches are a quarter-deck luxury at sea ; the 
sailor has none. Under the lower berths are stowed 
the chests of the seamen, and small battens of wood 
are tacked down to keep them from “ fetching away ” 
in a heavy sea. The sailor has no table, but eats his 
food seated on his chest ; but of this more hereafter. 

Abaft the forward house, or forecastle, but forming 
part and parcel of it (except that it is apportioned 
off), comes the cook’s galley, or kitchen as you 
would call it. This extends across the house from 
side to side, and is fitted with sliding doors. Here is 
firmly strapped down the ship’s stove, upon which all 
food for the crew is cooked, a short funnel piercing 
the roof to carry off the smoke, and fitted with a 
movable cover to keep out the rain, sea, and wind. 
Abaft this again, and forming the rear part of the 
whole forward house, is what is called the boat- 
swain’s locker, or carpenter’s room. This room has a 
door in the centre, and as you look out you see the 
mainmast facing you. 

From the door of the carpenter’s room till nearly 
to the mizzenmast the main deck is all clear, and 
this is the roomiest part of the vessel. Ten or twelve 
feet before the mizzenmast is reached another house 
is built up from the main deck a foot or so higher 
than the bulwarks; and this is the cabin. You can 
enter here by the two doors that open onto the 
main deck on both sides, or you can go up the 
step-ladders on each side that lead to the narrow 


14 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


deck that surrounds the house, till you come to the 
wheel that is at the stern; and then you will find 
that you can descend into the cabin by a compan- 
ionway, in the centre of the house, by stepping down 
the staircase, and find yourself on the same level 
as the main deck. The little deck around all sides 
of the after house is protected by a light railing all 
round the vessel ; and the railing and the house are 
about the same height, namely, some two and one- 
half feet. This part of the vessel is called the 
quarter-deck. 

Beyond this after house, and in the very stern, is a 
small house that is called a wheel-house, built over 
the machinery part of the steering apparatus to pro- 
tect it. This wheel-house has lockers in it to keep 
handy things in, and also the ship’s flags and signals. 
In front of the wheel, in the centre of the deck, is 
strapped down the binnacle, which holds the compass 
for the man at the wheel to steer by, and in the night- 
time receives lamps on each side, in apertures made for 
the purpose, that light up the compass card, but give 
out no ray of light to dazzle the eyes of the helmsman. 

On top of the forward house is ^Ored the long 
boat, keel up, and securely strapped down, only to be 
used in case of emergency or sliipwreck; and on 
each side of the quarter-deck, hung to iron davits, 
are the quarter-boats, light, handsome, but strong 
American boats, all firmly lashed, with oars and 
rudder on board, ready for any emergency. 


CABIN OF THE MARYLAND 


15 


Going into the cabin from the main deck, by one 
of the front doors, the first thing that strikes the eye 
is the officers’ dining-table, that extends forward 
from the mizzenmast, and hangs perpendicular in two 
great leaves when not in use. Over this is the 
swinging rack for glasses, tumblers, etc. On the 
port hand, with a window looking out upon the main 
deck, is the first mate’s room; and opposite to it, on 
the starboard side, the second mate’s room. In rear 
of this is the steward’s pantry on the starboard side ; 
and opposite to that on the port side, a storeroom. 
Then we come to two doors, one on each side, leading 
into the after cabin ; and here is really the parlor of 
the vessel, with the sunlight streaming down through 
the skylight, and the companionway steps in the 
centre. On each side are staterooms with bunks 
running fore and aft; and Mr. Frisbee occupies the 
port, and your humble servant the starboard room. 
This is the nearest point to sleep, and yet reach 
the deck at a moment’s notice, by the compan- 
ionway, in answer to a call from the officer on 
watch, or in case of any emergency. In the parlor 
is a stationary table, a swinging lamp, lounge, lock- 
ers, etc. 

The companionway is closed in bad weather by 
means of a slide overhead and small doors, but never 
but so it can be readily opened. 

In the forward cabin, a swinging lamp is screwed 
to the mizzenmast; and here, also, hangs the barome- 


16 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


ter, to be consulted every few hours, to forecast the 
weather. 

The top of the house is used to walk upon, as a 
deck, as much as any other part of the vessel ; and 
the officer often stands here to give orders, or at the 
head of the steps, which is called the break of the 
poop. Along the sides of the main deck are strapped 
down long spars, which are to be used in case the 
masts are carried away, or to replace a broken yard. 
Lashed to these, at intervals, are huge hogsheads, 
which are filled with fresh water; and others are 
stowed below, for use in case these are destroyed by 
the sea, or by accident. 

As for armament, the Maryland was well supplied. 
In the first place, she had two nine-pounders on the 
main deck, that were lashed securely in place just 
forward of the forward house, and which could, in an 
emergency, be taken up upon the top-gallant fore- 
castle. At the place where they were stationed and 
securely lashed, a port in the bulwarks could be 
thrown open, and they were ready for immediate 
service. In the cabin, round about the mizzenmast, 
were ranged six Sharp’s rifles ; and in a rack in the 
after cabin, six U. S. muskets, fitted with bayonets, 
fourteen boarding-pikes, and twenty cutlasses. 

Besides these ship’s-arms there were several others 
on board. Mr. Edward Frisbee, the passenger, was 
the possessor of two splendid Colt’s revolvers, of the 
latest patterns of that day, and a first-class muzzle- 


REVOLVERS, GUNS, AND CANNON 


17 


loading, English double-barrelled gun, in which he 
very properly took great pride. 

Mr. Cutter was the proprietor of a very fine pair of 
long muzzle-loading duelling-pistols, and a . heavy 
single-barrelled duck-gun, of a very large bore. The 
carpenter, Mr. Danbury, had a regular old-fashioned 
king’s-arm, as eccentric as himself. The second 
mate, Mr. Jones, did not have any arms except a 
pair of toggle-irons (harpoons), in which he took 
great pride. He had been one voyage whaling in the 
North Atlantic for three months, in which a few fin- 
backs and one sperm whale had been killed, and he 
was never weary of telling about the one he struck 
“ with that there iron.” For myself, I had a brace of 
Colt’s revolvers, the counterpart of those owned by 
Mr. Frisbee, and also a small, but very efficient, 
double-barrelled English shot-gun. 

For all these arms, we had laid in an ample amount 
of ammunition of all kinds, and felt that we should 
be able to repel the attack of any enemy whom we 
should possibly meet in the East Indian seas, for no 
one dreams of making this voyage without being 
prepared for the pirates of the Java seas and the 
adjacent waters. 

On the quarter-deck, however, was the pride of 
the whole ship’s crew, including the captain and 
even Chineyboy. Mounted on a sliding carriage, 
was a fine twelve-pound Dahlgren boat howitzer. 
For this gun I had not only shot and grapnel, but 


18 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


even shell with time fuses and percussion primers. 
This gun was the pet of the whole vessel. 

The regulations and discipline of a vessel at sea 
are very strict ; this is necessary for the safety of all 
on hoard. The crew, after being divided into watches, 
take turns at duty and at the wheel. The watches, 
as they are called, are four hours in length, and one 
watch relieves the other; but to prevent the same 
watch from serving the same hours all the voyage, 
the watch from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. is divided into two 
watches, called the dog-watches. This changes the 
watches each twenty-four hours. So that if the star- 
board watch has been on duty from 8 A.M. till 12 M., 
one forenoon, the port watch will be on duty at the 
same time the next twenty-four hours, and so on 
during the voyage. 

A man at the wheel steers his trick for two hours, 
and is then relieved by another seaman, and the same 
with the lookout on the forecastle in the night-time. 

As soon as it becomes dark, a large lantern is car- 
ried out each night, and fastened under the but of the 
bowsprit, to give warning to any vessel approaching 
in an opposite direction; and, near the coast of all 
civilized countries, green and red side-lights are dis- 
played for the same purpose ; but these are dispensed 
with at sea. 

Upon three men depends the safety of the vessel at 
sea in the night-time : upon the officer of the deck, 
whose duty it is to watch the changes in the weather, 


SAFETY AT NIGHT ' 


19 


and take in or make sail according to circumstances, 
to see that the vessel is kept upon her course by 
the man at the wheel, and in case of change of wind, so 
that the vessel cannot lay her course, to call the cap- 
tain, or awaken him upon any apparent approaching 
change in the weather. 

Next, upon the sailor on the lookout, who is sup- 
posed to keep moving about, to prove that he is not 
asleep, and whose duty it is to give notice of any- 
thing that he may see ahead of the vessel, such as a 
light, or land, or white water, or any peculiar or 
suspicious object. 

And, lastly, upon the man at the wheel, who 
must be prepared for any change of wind, and take 
care, in conjunction with the officer of the deck, that 
the sails of the vessel are not taken aback, which 
often endangers the masts, and, in a heavy wind, has 
been known to dismast a vessel. 

A captain of a sea-going vessel never dreams of 
going to bed for a whole night, but is up and down 
the companionway a hundred times, and in dirty 
weather is always on deck to take command in 
person. 

The meals served on board a ship are as follows : 
the watch to come on deck at 8 a.m. is called at 7.30 
A.M., and breakfast is served ; and after they have 
eaten, at 8 a.m., they relieve the watch on deck, who 
take their turn. At 11.30 A.M. the same thing hap- 
pens again, and at 5.30 p.m. 


20 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


The captain and officers have their meals at the 
same time as the crew ; but the second mate and car- 
penter sit down at the second table, after the captain, 
first mate, and passengers have finished. 

The time at sea is kept differently than on shore. 
The day commences at noon, when the captain, by an 
observation of the sun, has ascertained his position 
on the ocean at that time. He then tells the man at 
the helm to strike eight bells, which makes it 12 
o’clock noon, and the commencement of a new day, 
which lasts for twenty-four hours, till noon of the 
next day ; time being reckoned from noon to noon, 
instead of from midnight to midnight, as on shore. 

In stormy weather, little rest is given to anybody, 
and all hands are often called from their watch below 
to aid in reducing sail; and in very heavy weather 
the cook and carpenter have to turn out, also, and 
lend a hand ; but, as a rule, these two latter are sup- 
posed to have all night in, doing all their ordinary 
work in the daytime. 

No sailor comes upon the quarter-deck, except to 
relieve the man at the wheel, or take in sail; and 
never abaft the mainmast, except on matters of duty. 
This part of the vessel is reserved for the captain, the 
officers, and the passengers; and the seamen never 
invade its precincts. 

Every morning, whenever the weather will permit 
of it, all the decks of the vessel are washed thor- 
oughly with salt water, and scrubbed with hickory 


WORK AT SEA 


21 


brooms, by the morning watch; and at six o’clock a 
cup of hot coffee and a hardtack is brought to the 
officer of the watch from the galley. 

During the whole voyage, in the daytime, the crew 
under the officers are kept at Avork, repairing sails 
and rigging, tarring down shrouds, making chafing- 
mats for the backstays, setting up rigging, changing 
and reeving off neAv running rigging, and always 
have enough to do. In the dog-watch, however, 
from 6 to 8 P.M., no Avork is done ; and the crew, if 
in a good vessel Avith a fair captain and wholesome 
food, ahvays indulge in more or less skylarking at 
this time. 

As this sea-yarn goes on, it Avill be necessary for 
my readers to understand many of the customs that 
I have here written down, and have a general idea of 
life on shipboard, else many of the adventures to be 
hereinafter described and related Avould be Avithout 
point. It is for that reason that this sort of explana- 
tory chapter is here inserted, to provide for future 
recitals, and to save many explanatory sentences that 
otherAvise might be made necessary, unless this had 
been written. But, after a perusal of this, I feel con- 
fident that all of you will be able to follow me, with 
full knoAvledge of hoAV the most important things on 
board of the Maryland Avere placed, and picture in 
your mind’s eye just how she looked, and thus you 
can enjoy all that follows without being in doubt as 
to just what the author means. 


22 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER III. 

SEASICKNESS OF THE PASSENGER. MR. FRISBEE. 

• * 

LOOKING OVER THE HARPOONS AND GRAINS, AND 
FITTING THEM WITH STAFFS AND LINES. DESCRIP- 
TION OF PORPOISES AND THEIR PECULIARITIES. 

ARRANGEMENT OF A STANDING-PLACE ON THE BOB- 
STAYS TO STRIKE FISH FROM. CARE OF THE FIRE- 
ARMS. MR. _ FRISBEE INSTALLED AS ARMORER. 

PORPOISE-CATCHING IN A GALE OF WIND. 

We had been out about a week, and were getting 
every day better and better acquainted with each 
other. 

Edward Frisbee was at last getting his sea-legs, 
and forgetting to be seasick. He was a brave fellow 
in the main, was our passenger ; but for the first 
week he had to succumb to the inevitable, and his 
libations to the god Neptune were quite frequent. 
Of course he was kindly told all sorts of sea-cures, 
for no sailor has any pity for any one who is seasick. 
The cook, Julius Africanus, used to say to him, at 
times when his stomach revolted at the very name of 
food, and especially fat food, “ Why, Massa Frisbee, 
I’ve seen heaps of people cured of seasickness, in two 
days, by taking a piece of fat pork, and tying it round 


23 


CURES FOR SEASICKNESS 

de middle wid a rope yarn, and den swalling it and 
pulling it up again, kinder greesing de gizzard and 
insides like.” This advice, once or twice repeated, 
sent the poor passenger to the lee-side at once, to 
present the usual libation to the sea-god ; and, in fact, 
after having had this advice given him at least thrice, 
it was noticed that he avoided the cook’s galley and 
gave it a wide berth in his staggering walks about 
deck. The second mate offered to hoist him up in a 
bowline to the main-top, and then let him swing with 
each motion of the ship ; for said he, “ You might 
just as well get over this at once, and if you are 
hoisted up there, you will jump about more in an 
hour than you will in the whole voyage on deck, and 
will therefore be quicker cured.” But Mr. Frisbee 
declined the pleasure of hanging, like Mahomet’s 
coffin, between heaven and earth, especially in a 
boatswain’s chair, which is simply a narrow piece of 
board to sit upon, like a swing-board in a swing. 
Some of the crew told him that the best plan in the 
world to cure seasickness was to “scoff” and 
“ caulk ” all he could, by which they meant eat and 
sleep. 

Mr. Frisbee did not have to pass a very severe 
ordeal ; but yet it was evident that little sympathy 
can, or ever will be, obtained from sailors for one 
suffering from this malady. By my advice, Mr. 
Frisbee kept on deck as much as possible, which is 
one of the best things to do, and eat whenever he 


24 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


possibly could without being nauseated, which is 
another good rule; for then the stomach has some- 
thing to discharge when it must, and the fearful 
retchings, with nothing to emit, is avoided. 

But, finally, at the end of a week, our passenger was 
gradually getting the best of his enemy; and if he had 
hastily to leave the table, once in a while, to see how 
the weather was on deck, within the first ten days of 
our passage, why, it was but natural that he should 
be excitable and interested in the minutest details, 
on this, his first voyage and first ten days at sea. 
And here it may be stated that, once having con- 
quered, our passenger, Mr. Frisbee, was, for the 
remainder of the voyage, as free from seasickness as 
any jack sailor of us all. 

“ Now look here, Mr. Frisbee, you are getting along 
so nicely, that it is about time that we began to arrange 
to have some fun.” 

“Mr. Jones, have you got those irons in your 
stateroom ? ” 

“ Yes, Captain ; I have them all handy.” 

“Well, bring them up on tlie quarter-deck, and let 
us have a look at. them.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir ; ” and the second mate soon appeared 
with three handsome harpoons and a pair of grains ; 
one harpoon was of the usual old-fashioned, broad- 
arrow pattern, and the others of what is called the 
toggle or lily iron style. I gave Mr. Frisbee his first 
choice, and he decided upon a lily iron ; and I chose 
for my weapon the old-fashioned broad arrow. 


STAFFS FOR HARPOONS 


25 


“ Now, Mr. Frisbee, we have to get these fitted 
with staffs and lines.” 

“ Call the carpenter, there, and tell him to come 
aft.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir ; ” and aft he soon appeared. 

, “ Now, carpenter, can you make me two good oaken 

staffs for these harpoons ? ” 

“ Oh, yes. Captain, if you will provide the wood.” 

“ W ell, that is easily done ; take two of the spare 
capstan-bars, in the boatswain’s locker, and fashion 
them so that they will fit these sockets, will you?” 

“Ay, ay. Captain ; ” and away he went to com- 
plete his job. 

The difference between the lily iron and the old- 
fashioned harpoon is, that one enters and holds by its 
barbs alone, while the lily iron is released after it 
enters the fish by the little grommet that holds it in 
place being pushed back, and turns round in the fish, 
and cannot be withdrawn ; but then, again, it takes 
more force to make it penetrate, and if the fish is 
missed, the grommet comes off by the force of being 
darted into the water, and the whole apparatus must 
be taken in hand and rearranged before another dart 
can be made ; whilst the old-fashioned arrow-head, is 
always in order, so you will see that both have their 
advantages : the lily iron holding the best when once 
well entered, but demanding more strength to make 
it enter ; and the broad arrow being handier, and cut- 
ting its way in much more readily. 


26 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


The staff is not fixed very firmly in the socket of 
the iron, and quite often comes out after a dart, espe- 
cially if the fish struggles much ; but this is of no con- 
sequence, for the line that the fish is finally captured 
with is made fast to the* iron itself, and is also run 
through a becket on the staff, so that the latter can- 
not be lost if it gets out of the socket. 

Now, the fish that is most usually captured with har- 
poons at sea, and which is considered a great luxury 
for the table, is the porpoise : its flesh can scarcely 
be distinguished from fresh pig, and the liver is 
almost exactly like pig’s liver. In fact, this fish, 
which is found in nearly every ocean, and in all lati- 
tudes, is often .called the puffing-pig, and, in fact, is 
not a fish; that is to say, it is an animal like the 
whale, and has to breathe, and for that purpose often 
comes to the surface of the ocean, and as its back 
appears, and it expels the exhausted air, it emits a 
peculiar puffing noise, well known to. sailors. 

Besides this peculiarity, it often appears in schools ; 
and, if the vessel is sailing fast, the whole number 
will dart at once under the bows, and precede the 
vessel in her course, sometimes for a few moments, 
and sometimes for hours. It is, therefore, customary 
to place a small piece' of board on the bobstays of the 
dolphin striker, so that one can stand thereon and 
strike at them with a harpoon, the line fastened to the 
same being manned by the crew on deck, to haul in 
as soon as a fish is struck. But the trouble is, that 


PORPOISES 


27 


this standing-place in a fresh breeze, is under water 
about half the time, in the plunge of the vessel 
through the opposing waves, and it is a dangerous 
spot, as one may be washed overboard by being sub- 
merged in a heavy sea. 

In fact, in moderate weather even, about half the 
time is occupied by climbing up on the dolphin 
striker to clear the seas,. and the other half in trying 
to get a strike at a porpoise that may breach in a posi- 
tion near the dolphin striker, so that one can get a 
dart at him. Usually, for the reason that the porpoise 
will not play about the bows unless the vessel is 
sailing fast, the chances for striking one are greatly 
lessened ; for, if the vessel is sailing fast, the danger 
of attempting to stand upon the bobstays for a strike 
is greatly increased. 

In calm weather, these fish will not come near the 
vessel ; but when she is in motion, these animals play 
about her as if she were an enormous specimen of 
their own species. Nothing is. more exciting at sea 
than the cry of porpoises ! porpoises ! which always 
brings everybody on deck, even in the night-time, 
and the danger of the sport lends great zest to it. 

Now, after we had both the irons rigged with nice 
staffs, and good lines fastened to each, of strong 
rattling stuff, I took occasion, it being a fine, pleasant 
day, and the vessel not plunging much, to have the 
carpenter cut out a V-shaped board, witli auger-holes 
in the sides, which I had two of the crew take out and 


28 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


lash in its position on the bobstays, at the dolphin 
striker. 

The grains, to which reference have been made, are 
a sort of five-pronged, small harpoon, suited to strike 
small fish or dolphin with, and allowing of consider- 
able deviation from a true aim, and yet running a 
chance of having one of its five barbs penetrate the 
fish aimed at. 

It was well into the afternoon before we had the 
harpoons and grains fitted to suit us ; and when they 
were complete, I had the broad -arrow one carried 
out to the dolphin striker, and lashed up and down 
alongside of it with the line leading in over the rail 
on to the forecastle. Here it was to remain during 
all reasonable weather, and here it was kept the 
whole voyage, except in very heavy gales, or stormy 
weather, when it was brought in on deck, and stowed 
under the t’-gallant forecastle, till it was again pleas- 
ant ; and it was one of the daily duties of the crew 
to see that this harpoon was lashed in place for 
immediate use, in fair and medium weather, and 
stowed away safely during a gale. 

Mr. Frisbee was surprised at the way everything 
rusted at sea, and he soon found out that the guns 
and pistols needed almost daily care. The boarding- 
pikes and muskets were kept in good order by delib- 
erately varnishing over all the steel and ironwork 
with a light coating of copal varnish ; but we could 
not treat our Colt’s revolvers and fine English guns 


RUST AT SEA 


29 


in this manner; so it ended by Mr. Frisbee being 
installed as armorer. And, being methodical and 
careful in bis ways, be looked after nearly all the fire- 
arms daily, and saw that they were in good condition. 
By a liberal use of mercurial ointment, which the 
medicine-chest furnished, they were kept from rust- 
ing, and this is probably the best preventive that has 
yet been discovered to preserve iron and steel from 
rusting at sea. 

The air is so charged with salt, that everything in 
the shape of iron, if left to itself, appears in a day or 
two in a coat of angry red rust, and to prevent this, 
all the ironwork about the vessel is either covered 
with coal-tar or black paint. The brasswork about 
the binnacle lights, however, and a few railings and 
ornaments in the cabin, were kept bright by being- 
daily rubbed with vinegar, pumice-stone,, and oil, till 
they shone like burnished gold, and had no time to 
get tarnished. 

Before we had the harpoons in order, we had, at 
different times, seen several schools of porpoises, but 
the work of getting the vessel in good trim, and in 
seamanlike shape, had prevented us taking any notice 
of them heretofore. Sailors have many superstitions 
concerning these fish. They are one of the few 
things that they think may be captured without 
bringing bad luck to the vessel. In fact, it is deemed 
quite lucky to strike and capture a porpoise, espe- 
cially in the early part of a voyage, and denotes a 


30 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


prosperous passage. Singularly enough, these animals 
are quite often seen in dead calm weather, when the 
sea looks like molten lead, and its breathings or 
swells, that never cease, alone give motion to the 
sleeping sails, by swaying the vessel slightly, in 
different directions, as she moves, to keep her equi- 
librium on the ever restless waters. At such times, 
every sailor on board notes the quarter from which 
they appear, and that in which they are heading, and 
everybody on board believes that the wind will 
shortly start up from the quarter towards which they 
are proceeding, and no amount of failures will eradi- 
cate this belief ; one single coincidence will outlive a 
thousand miscarriages. 

Instead of looking for porpoises to strike, in calm ■ 
weather, it is at this time that dolphin and other 
smaller fish are looked for eagerly over the side ; but 
the ocean is vast, and it is at long intervals of time 
that the smaller fish, such as boneta and dolphin, are 
seen. 

Both the dogs. Tanner and Caesar, had suffered a 
little from seasickness, as well as Mr. Frisbee, but 
recovered their appetites long before he did. The 
carpenter, Mr. Danbury, was one of those fortu- 
nate fellows, whom one sometimes meets, who are 
scarcely sick at all. The crew had laid themselves 
out to have great fun with him, as, being nearer their 
own rank, they could fool with him, where quarter- 
deck discipline prevented them from scarcely speak- 


CARPENTER NOT SEASICK 


81 


ing to Mr. Frisbee, unless spoken to, while moving 
amongst them in the forward part of the vessel ; but 
they were out of their reckoning, for, with the excep- 
tion of a few hours of nausea on the first three or 
foui days, the carpenter was not afflicted, and in a 
very short time appeared at the second table in the 
cabin with the second mate, and hoisted in his prov- 
ender with great gusto and regularity. He soon 
became a great favorite with both officers and crew. 

The wind had held throughout the day at W. by 
N., and, by observation at noon, the Maryland was 
iound to be in latitude 35° 16' N. ; longitude, by 
chronometer, 56° 55' W. ; this was on Saturday, 
April 17, and we were humming along with a fore- 
topmast stun’sail set on the starboard side. Towards 
night the weather changed considerably, and as the 
sun went down, banks of angry-looking clouds ap- 
peared in the western horizon. After the first watch 
had been set at 8 p.m, the weather became more unset- 
tled, and the stun’sail was taken in for the night. 

Mr. Frisbee, in walking the quarter-deck, kept up 
quite a conversation about porpoises, evidently in- 
tending to post himself in all particulars. 

“ How large a fish is a porpoise. Captain ? ” asked 
he. 

“ About five or six feet in length,” said I. 

“ Is there no other use for the porpoise than eating 
his flesh. Captain ? ” he asked. 

“ Oh, yes ; the oil is extremely valuable, in fact, 


82 


LOG OF THE MARYLAKD 


the outside fat, or blubber, must be carefully removed, 
for, if it is left on, the oil it contains, if cooked with 
the meat part, spoils it. We always try out the blub- 
ber, and preserve the oil. The jaAV-bone oil is so val- 
uable that it sells at a very high price to jewelers, 
and, when refined, is used in watches. We obtain 
it at sea in a crude state, by hanging the bone up in 
the sun and preserving the drippings, and not over 
an ounce or two can be procured from one set of 
jaws. We use it at sea to oil the locks of our guns 
and for polishing up a sextant or compass.” 

“How do you cook the meat. Captain? ” 

“ Well, the best way is to chop it up exactly as you 
do fresh pork to make sausage-meat, and then fry it 
in balls, the shape and size of salt-fish balls, in a 
spider with pork-fat, and I defy you to distinguish 
it from sausage-meat.” 

“ Are you going to stay on deck. Captain ? ” 

“Yes; I sha’n’t go below yet; the weather looks a 
little dirty, and I think I shall Avalk the deck for an 
hour or tAvo. I don’t believe that it is going to bloAv 
a gale, but the Avind is freshening, and the sea 
getting up.” 

“Yes, I feel that it is,” said Mr. Frisbee; “and 
therefore I Avill say good-night. Captain, and go 
below.” 

After Mr. Frisbee had gone below, I continued to 
pace the deck for about an hour, till I Avas convinced 
that the AAund had slightly decreased, and that the 


PORPOISES AGAIN 


83 


rest of the night would probably be uneventful in 
spite of the dark, overcast heavens, and that the sea, 
although rather lumpy, would not increase. 

The bark was jumping about considerably, and the 
main royal had been taken in for the night, and we 
were speeding along with what sailors call a pleasant 
gale. As the Maryland settled down in the hollows 
of the sea, running before a quartering wind, magnifi- 
cent gleams of phosphorescence lashed her sides, and 
played about her rudder, and turned and twisted in 
her wake, lighting up the waters in a weird and 
peculiar manner. 

I had almost made up my mind to go below, and 
had my hand upon the companionway, and was say- 
ing to Mr. Jones, the second mate, “ Keep a good 
lookout, and call me if there is any change,” when, 
instead of replying with the customary “ Ay ! ay ! 
sir,” he said, — 

“ Captain, hark ! Ain’t them porpoises I hear on 
the port-quarter ? ” 

Yes, there they were, sure enough, a whole school 
of them advancing, with their peculiar puffing noise, 
and leaving a phosphorescent wake behind them as 
they came to the surface, and catching up to the 
vessel with as much ease as if she was at an anchor. 

“ Porpoises ! porpoises ! ” was now the cry from all 
the watch on deck ; and the last thing that I remember, 
as I pulled off my monkey-jacket, and started to go 
forward, was the arrival on deck of Mr. Frisbee, in a 


84 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


scantily-dressed condition, to see what the matter 
was. 

“Now mind you don’t yaw her about,” was my 
command to Hiram, at the wheel, as I dashed for- 
ward. “ Look out for her, Mr. Jones, and don’t leave 
the quarter-deck.” Antonio was on the lookout on 
the forecastle when I arrived there, and the watch 
were already gathered, looking down upon the wakes 
of the porpoises, as they breached directly under the 
bows. 

“ Clear away that harpoon-line, boys, and give me 
plenty of slack. You had better take it to a snatch- 
block, as it will be a hard job to get a fish on board, 
in this weather, if I am lucky enough to strike one. 

“ Go aft, Dee-Dong, and tell Mr. Jones to be ready 
to luff her up into the wind as soon as I sing out ; 
but to be careful and not get the bark aback. 

“ Here, bring that lantern out on the bowsprit, 
Pete. Now look out to haul in the moment I 
strike.” And in the midst of a chorus of “ Ay ! 
ay ! captain,’* I rushed put on to the bowsprit, and 
down upon the dolphin-striker bobstays, and com- 
menced to cut the lashings of the harpoon adrift. 
Now this was no fool of a job. The bark was 
plunging badly, and I was up to my waist in water 
half a dozen times, before the task was done ; but, 
finally, aided by Pete, who stood above me on the 
jibstays, and took the iron, when I had to hand it to 
him, to jump out of the way of some deep plunge of 


TRYING FOR A DART 


35 


the vessel, I succeeded in reaching the board lashed 
to the bobstays. Pete had handed his lantern to 
another of the crew, and stood ready to aid me, as I 
have said. 

Every minute or so I had to draw myself up on 
the jibstays, to prevent being submerged, and I would 
not more than get a foothold, and Pete make ready 
to hand me the harpoon, than up again I would have 
to climb, to clear the angry waves into which the old 
Maryland was plunging her dolphin striker. It was 
really blowing too fresh to undertake the feat, but, in 
the excitement of the moment, all danger was for- 
gotten, and the attempt was again and again re- 
newed. No one but sailors would have persisted in 
the effort ; but they work so much in unison, and so 
differently from landlubbers, that they can accom- 
plish things that to the latter would be simply 
impossible. 

Pete, as well as myself, felt intuitively when the 
vessel was going to plunge the worst, and at such 
times the harpoon was in hi« hands, and my body 
drawn up out of the angry waves, before they could 
reach me ; and then, in the next lull, my feet would 
seek the board on the bobstays, and my arms reach 
up to Pete for the harpoon. Twice or three times 
was it in my hands, and had to be again hastily 
returned to Pete, and a jump made to the higher jib- 
stays, before I could get a dart. 

All this while, as is usual in stormy weather, the 


36 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


porpoises were literally playing about my feet, and 
the forecastle rail lined with the heads of the crew, 
all anxious for the final result. I thought at one 
time that I should have to give it up, and Pete, 
even — and a sailor seldom dares to speak to an 
officer to advise him — said, — 

“ Captain, look out, sir, she’s plunging awful, and 
I’m afraid you’ll get carried adrift.” 

“ Never mind, Pete ; now stand by,” was my answer. 
“ I think after that long swell that we are going to 
have a chance.” 

And, sure enough, the long-wished-for moment 
c.ame at last. The vessel descended in a gentle 
pitch, which did not bring the water above my knees, 
and by the motion, both Pete and myself knew that 
she would not plunge deep the next time. Handing 
me the harpoon in a twinkling, I poised it, and let drive 
at a porpoise directly under my feet, as the vessel was 
plunging downward, and at the same moment sprang 
up to the jibstays, and was caught by the arm by the 
faithful Pete. 

“ Luff ! luff ! ” cried I to the second mate, who, 
from the quarter-deck, answered back, — 

“ Luff it is, sir,” and the bark came rapidly to the 
wind. 

“No higher.” 

“No higher, sir;” and the sails shook, in the 
wind’s eye, and the momentum of the vessel was 
perceptibly decreased. 


THE COOK IN CHARGE 


37 


All this time, the crew were at work trying to 
board the fish, amidst cries of, “ You’ve got him. 
Captain ; bully for you ; that iron went clear through 
him. Haul away, boys, haul and hold ! ” But not 
an inch could they get till the way of the vessel was 
stopped, by bringing her into the wind ; and then, 
finally, they began to gain on the line, and presently 
walked it along, hand over hand, till, fioundering and 
thrashing, helped in over the rail by a half-dozen 
willing hands, and down upon the main deck, lay a 
handsome porpoise, thrust through and through, just 
forward of his dorsal fin. 

“ Keep her on her course, Mr. Jones ! ” 

‘‘Ay, ay, sir,” was the answer, and the slatting 
sails, filling with wind, away went the Maryland 
again, dashing into the seething waters and the 
darkness of the night. 

On board ship, the cook, or the “ doctor ” as he is 
familiarly called, does all the butchering, and when 
the prey is secured, takes full charge of all subse- 
quent proceedings. Julius had long since been on 
deck, waiting in great expectancy for the final result ; 
and you have all of you witnessed the importance that 
an African always gives himself when called upon to 
take charge of a job, while white men look on, and 
obey his commands. 

“Now get out ob de way dare, you lan’lubbers, 
an’ lem me get at him. You Pete, dare, you just 
draw a bucket o’ water, and lem me have it to once. 


38 


LOG OP THE MARYLAND 


“Dare, don't stan’ foolin’ round here; tink you 
never seen no pupoise befo’. 

“ Slack up on dat dare line, Antonio ; and yo*u, Dee- 
Dong, if you don’t get out ob de way I'll slice ye 
sure. Now hist him up, boys, an to-morrow mornin 
I’ll hab his jacket off in no time. 

“ I reckon de skipper of dis yer craft can strike a 
pupoise in a gale of win’, and dis here chile can just 
cook him to kill. 

“ Dare, boys, you’d better all turn in,” and with 
this advice, after seeing the fish nicely strung up to 
the mainstay, the doctor exemplified it by plunging 
into his galley and slamming to the door, and the 
watch that had come on deck to see the fun retired 
to the forecastle, while the man at the helm announced 
four bells, or 10 p.m., by striking the bell in front of 
him, and I retired to the cabin to change my wet 
clothes, and talk over the capture with Mr. Frisbee, 
who was up and waiting to see me. 

In half an hour afterwards I turned in, and the 
Maryland ploughed on through the dreary waste of 
waters under the starless sky, governed in her mad 
career by the motions of the vigilant seaman at the 
wheel, the careful attention of the officer of the 
deck, and the watchful lookout on the top-gallant 
forecastle. 


IN NO HURRY 


39 


CHAPTER IV. 



NO HURRY TO REACH OUR DESTINATION. DUTIES OF 

MASTER AND GREW. SUNDAY AT SEA. ARRANGE- 
MENT OF STATEROOMS. DAILY ROUTINE. — CLOUD 

PICTURES. THE DOGS TANNER AND CiESAR. MELO- 

DEON GOTTEN UP OUT OF THE HOLD, AND PLACED 

IN THE CABIN. LOVE OF MICE FOR MUSIC. 

BACKGAMMON, CHESS, AND CHECKERS. — READING BY 
MOONLIGHT. CLOSING REFLECTIONS. 


The voyage that we had undertaken was a pecu- 
liar one in some respects, something like a yacht 
voyage, for we were in no great haste to reach our 
port of destination, there being no one waiting there 
to meet us, and our fortune was in our own hands. 
I do not mean that it was not our intention to make 
a direct course to the East Indies, but I do mean that 
it is usual, on all such voyages, as a rule, to clap on 
all sail, and push the vessel to her extreme capacity 
to reach port as soon as possible, and make a quick 
return to the owners. 

Such was not our case ; the vessel and cargo 
belonged to Mr. Frisbee and myself, and we could do 
as we pleased. We had started upon a venture that 
would consume some years of our life, and were pre- 


40 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


pared to see all that there was to be seen before 
settling down to a mercantile life in the far East : this 
was our holiday, and we were bound to enjoy it. 

The necessity of making a quick voyage was want- 
ing, and we had all the pleasure of feeling that we 
could take our own time, and study the wonders of 
the deep, and, if we desired, make a detour in 
any direction that our fancy might lead us ; a few 
months more or less would make little difference in 
our future mercantile career. 

At sea, one has much leisure time, if a passenger 
or in command : the daily routine of work is carried 
on by the crew, under the direction of the mates, and 
the food is prepared by the cook. The carpenter 
works daily at his profession, always finding some- 
thing to tinker upon, mend, or construct. The passen- 
ger has literally nothing in the world to do but to eat, 
drink, sleep, and enjoy himself as he may deem best ; 
and the captain, although he has arduous duties to 
perform, has also a great deal of leisure for reading 
and pastime. His chief duties are to find out each 
day the position of his vessel by the laws of naviga- 
tion, and observation of the planets, or sun and moon, 
by means of a sextant, and to define and pronounce 
upon the course to be steered : to consult with the 
mate as to the daily work of the crew ; remain or be 
on deck in all bad weather and storms ; to preserve 
the discipline of the vessel, tlie distribution of the 
food and care of the fresh water ; and take personal 


THE CAPTAIN’S POWER 


41 


charge and command in all times of emergency and 
danger ; to keep a daily record, or log, of all occur- 
rences on board, the changes of wind and courses 
sailed ; the speed of the vessel, and a complete jour- 
nal of all important events. 

The mate also keeps an official record of each 
twenty-four hours, in a book prepared for that pur- 
pose, which is the vessel’s legal record, or log. The 
captain’s record is for his own use, and belongs to 
himself, and not to the vessel. 

At sea, the captain’s word is law ; nobody dreams 
of disobeying. No person has a right to ask why 
such and such a course is sailed, or why such and 
such a sail is taken in or set. The law, recognizing 
the fact That there is need of one executive head and 
master for a vessel on the high seas whose edicts 
for the safety of all shall not be disputed, gives 
greater discretionary power to the master than to 
persons on shore, except to generals and command- 
ers of land forces in time of war. At sea, the 
captain has the power to put seamen or officers in 
irons for serious misdemeanors, and imprison them in 
the vessel’s hold, till a port is reached where an 
American consulate is established. Passengers also 
are obliged to obey all reasonable commands of the 
master, and are as liable to be deprived of their 
liberty as any of the crew, in case of mutiny or an 
attempt to turn the crew against the captain. The 
law so thoroughly recognizes the need of one power 


42 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


to command at sea, whose legal commands shall be 
undisputed, that death is the penalty of any person 
convicted of depriving a captain, or attempting to 
deprive him, of his command ; and the law gives him 
extreme license in defending his trust if attacked, 
and calls for implicit obedience from all on board to 
all legal commands that he may issue. That this 
power is abused, at times, is true, but unless it was 
granted, in times of distress and danger, sailors would 
not obey in the way they must obey, if a vessel is to 
be saved ; and, for the safety of all on board, there 
must be one head whose word is law. 

Sunday was always a day looked forward to by the 
crew of the Maryland ; for, except the necessary 
steering of the vessel, the taking in and setting of 
the sails according to the state of the weather, and 
washing down the decks in the morning, no work 
was ever done. On pleasant Sundays, the Maryland 
was a very happy vessel to be on board of. On that 
day the food was always better than on the week- 
days, and the dinner especially, both in the cabin 
and forecastle, was the delight of all on board, and 
for which the cook always made preparations through- 
out the week. On Sundays, the crew also had a 
plum duff, — a flour pudding, as big as a small boy, 
stuffed full of raisins, and served with plenty of 
molasses. 

In the morning, after breakfast, if the weather was 
fine, the crew were called aft upon the main deck. 


CLEANING UP 


43 


near the mainmast, and Mr. Frisbee, who was an 
excellent reader, read to them selections from Holy 
Script, followed by prayers from the Episcopal prayer- 
book, while the officers of the vessel reverently 
listened from the quarter-deck, and took part in the 
ceremony. 

After the crew were dismissed, the famous plum- 
duff dinner followed. And in the afternoon, the 
crew all went to work, washing their clothes, and 
shaving off the week’s growth of beard. Fresh water 
is not a commodity that is used lavishly at sea, and is 
always dealt out with care ; but on Sundays the men 
are allowed a sufficient quantity, if it can possibly be 
spared, to have a real good wash and clean up. A 
sailor never dreams of washing throughout all the 
remainder of the week. 

After the wash and shave, the clothes received 
attention, and with salt-water soap, and salt water, — 
for fresh water is too precious for this, — they were 
purified. Often they were towed overboard, at the 
end of a line attached to the bowsprit, that lifted 
them out of the water, and dipped them in again, as 
the vessel rose upon a swell, or plunged into the val- 
ley between two waves. 

Tlie remainder of the day in the dog-watches was 
taken up in fun and skylarking by the crew forward, 
and in singing sea songs, or dancing to Dee-Dong’s 
fiddle. 

You must remember that at sea, time is computed 


44 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


differently than on shore : the sea day commences at 
noon, when the captain has ascertained, by observa- 
tion, that the sun has passed the meridian, and the 
moment eight bells is struck for twelve o’clock, the 
new day commences, which is Monday instead of 
Sunday, so that all these antics are permissible, as 
Sunday ends when the bell strikes. It commences, 
of course, on noon of the preceding day, which is 
Saturday by civil account, but by sea custom no 
observance of the day is made on Saturday afternoon, 
but only on Sunday morning. 

We took great pride in our staterooms on board 
the Maryland, and arranged them in many pleasant 
ways. 

In mine, right over my head, as I lay in the bunk, 
was screwed a compass upside down, so that I could 
look up at any time of the night, by aid of a lamp 
hung near it, and see the exact course of the vessel, 
and how the man at the wheel was steering. In the 
further end of the stateroom was the chronometer, 
in its mahogany box, set in another box, and stuffed 
round with cotton wool, to keep it from any jar 
caused by the plunging of the vessel, or the discharge 
of cannon. 

On the partition, at the foot of the bunk, hangs 
an aneroid barometer in full sight, and near the door 
a complete suit of oilskins, so’ wester hat, and rubber 
boots, ready for any emergency. 

On the starboard side of the room hung my English 


STATEROOM FITTINGS 


45 


gun in brackets, with two Colt’s revolvers below it, 
and a good American cutlass below them. A copper 
magazine for cartridges for small arms fitted under 
the bunk, and was securely locked with a key which 
I alone held possession of. 

A large magazine, with ammunition for the cannon 
and spare cartridges for the small arms, was stowed 
in the run, access to which was gained by a hatch 
just at the foot of the companion ladder in the 
cabin. 

Mr. Frisbee had his stateroom, on the port side, 
fitted up in great style, with his gun and pistols 
hung on the side over his bunk, and a nice lot of 
books in- a handsome rack. 

The mate had his desk built into the end of 
his room, with drawers underneath, in one of which 
reposed the log-book. Upon this desk was kept the 
log-slate, that was written up every four hours by 
himself or the second mate, and finally copied into 
the log-book in ink, at the end of every twenty-four 
hours. 

Before I went to sea, I used to think that the crew 
set the sails, and then sat down on deck, and told 
yarns and sang songs till the end of the voyage ; 
but such is not the case : there- is always something 
to do at sea. A great part of the time, both night 
and day, is taken up in setting, trimming, and taking 
in sails, according to the state of the weather, and 
the larger sails of a vessel are not easily or quickly 


46 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


furled or set, and, in stormy weather, an hour or 
two of “ all hands ” on deck is necessary to reef and 
set, or furl the larger sails. 

Besides this necessary, never-ending work, there is 
plenty of other work to do. Some person must be 
at the helm at all times, steering the vessel, and two 
hours is about as long as one wants at this arduous 
and careful duty, that needs continuous care and 
attention of the strictest kind ; so that in twenty-four 
hours there will have been twelve changes at the 
wheel alone. Then, in the night, the lookout on 
the forecastle has to be relieved every two hours. 

In the daytime, the decks are thoroughly washed 
down and scrubbed every twenty-four hours, if the 
weather will permit ; this duty commencing at 4 a.m., 
the water being dashed plentifully over everything, 
and drawn from alongside by means of a canvas- 
bucket and a pulley, the crew, with naked feet, scrub- 
bing in the water with hickory brooms. 

The remainder of the day is taken up in sewing on 
sails, unbending and bending new and old sails, 
repairing those that are split or torn ; setting up the 
standing rigging ; tarring down the shrouds ; reeving 
off new running gear ; slushing down the masts and 
stays ; scraping the masts ; putting battens and 
chafing gear upon the backstays, etc. In fact, a 
capable mate can always find plenty of tasks for his 
watch to perform. 

In very pleasant weather, in the tropics, the sailors 


NO LOAFING AT SEA 


47 


often make mats, and lay up sennit, a sort of braided 
line, made out of the strands of old junk, and splice 
and renew the ends of frayed-out ropes. If men 
were allowed to be idle at sea, discontent and mur- 
muring would soon arise; and then there is really 
always enough for them to do ; in stormy times, often 
too much, and the crew become at times worn out 
and exhausted by a continuance of bad weather. 

In the dog-watches, near night, all work is stopped, 
and the crew are permitted to smoke and skylark, 
preparatory to the night-watch ; but, even at this 
time, they are liable to be called upon, at a minute’s 
notice, to take in or make sail. 

The captain stands no watch, the second mate 
keeping watch for him. This is because he is liable 
to be called upon at any time of the night or day, and 
really has the most irregular hours of any person on 
board; but when not watching the vessel, in bad 
weather, or figuring out her course, and pondering 
over his charts, has plenty of leisure on his hands to 
enjoy himself. 

And how shall I give my readers, who have never 
been upon it, an idea of the beauties of the ocean ? 
To be sure, each day is like the other, in the bound- 
less expanse of water that greets the view each 
morning, in coming on deck, yet the ocean is never 
twice alike. Its color, motion, and appearance are 
never the same, and it is so also with the heavens 
above. I have sat hours and hours upon the quarter- 


48 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


deck, and looked upon the most magnificent cloud- 
pictures that the eye of mortal ever rested on ; 
change upon change, but as real to me as the painted 
panorama to the boy on shore. There come two 
immense giants, three hundred feet in height, and 
there is their castle to the right, and there comes Tom 
Thumb to tackle them, and, as he approaches, his 
weapon changes, his hat blows off, his sword becomes 
a spear, and before he reaches the giants, they have 
changed into an immense two-headed lion, being 
attacked by their own castle, in the form of an im- 
mense dragon with wide open jaws. 

See that fairy landscape with the magnificent lawn 
and palatial castle, and the mirror-like lake with the 
two lovers in the motionless boat, with the grand old 
oaks on the margin, casting their shadows far out into 
the silent waters. What a heavenly picture of peace 
and contentment. And, as we gaze, it fades away, 
and here comes a ship under full sail, with every 
stitch of canvas set, striving to weather yonder 
rocky headland, but she cannot do it ; and, as you 
look, as upon a real picture, the two mingle together 
in one vast mountain of cloud, framed against the 
dying western sky. 

No pictures by any of the masters can compare 
with the cloud-pictures of grand old ocean. 

Our dogs were a great comfort to us, and pets with 
all on board. The St. Bernard, Tanner, was not a 
pure specimen of that breed, and, to tell the truth. 


OLD TANNER 


49 


rather of a mongrel, but retaining many of the quali- 
ties of the noble strain from which he was descended. 
He was large, clumsy, quite sedate, and, in fact, rather 
aged, and did not exert himself very much in doing 
anything. He was rather of a patriarch, and fast 
falling into the sere and yellow leaf of life. 

Mr. Frisbee used to plague Mr. Cuttei:, the mate, a 
good deal about Tanner, for the latter, like all sea- 
men, had been rather over-reached in his purchase of 
Tanner, as a young and pure St. Bernard ; but, for 
the very reason that he was fast beginning to find 
out that Tanner was neither young nor a pure St. 
Bernard, he stood up for him all the more, and was 
really very fond of him. Mr. Frisbee used to say to 
the mate, — 

“ Mr. Cutter, Tanner’s name is too long ; it ought 
to be Tan, and to make that agree with the dog, he 
ought to be killed, and his skin tanned.” 

“Never you mind, Mr. Frisbee,” returned Mr. 
Cutter, “I’ll make five hundred dollars out of that 
dog, in Shanghai, selling him to some Englishman ; 
he’s the real, pure breed.” 

All this while. Tanner would sit up, lazily wagging 
his tail, and with a most comical grin on his ancient 
features. All he did all day long was to wag his 
tail slightly at the approach of Mr. Cutter, eat, and 
sleep. In fact, he did not take to the sea, and 
evidently often wished that he was on shore, where 
he could sleep without being rolled about by the 


50 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


lurching of the vessel. He had a contemptuous 
expression of countenance, as if he was disgusted 
with the whole business, and I am inclined to believe 
that he was bilious during the whole voyage. But 
he was a harmless old fellow, and soon found out the 
places where the hurrying crew, in the night-time, 
were least apt to run over his prostrate, sleeping 
body ; but sometimes his plaintive cry of distress, as 
the crew stumbled over him, in some quick move- 
ment to take in sail, showed that he had not chosen 
the right spot. 

Csesar, on the other hand, our Newfoundland dog, 
was a young and noble specimen of his breed. He 
was purchased, a few days before we sailed, from a 
vessel that had just arrived from Newfoundland. 
He was of the long-haired breed, jet black, with the 
exception of a handsome white shirt-bosom, and a 
white streak down his nose. He was extremely play- 
ful and intelligent, and all over the ship at all hours, 
and never underfoot. 

He was the bane of poor Tanner’s life, for he used 
to try to get the latter to romp, and teased and 
plagued him in a thousand doggish ways. Tanner 
evidently put him down as an unmitigated nuisance, 
a spoiled dog, and an overgrown puppy. They did 
not quarrel, — we would not permit that, — but they 
were not the best of friends. 

Csesar took to a sea-life as naturally as any sailor 
on board. We taught him many amusing tricks, 


PLAYING ON THE MELODEON 


61 


and further on you will be told how he used to go 
in swimming. 

Mr. Frisbee and myself used to play a great many 
games of backgammon, to wear away the time, and 
I am inclined to think that the enormous score that 
was kept till the end^ of the voyage showed in his 
favor by several hundreds. 

After we had been out a few weeks, in looking 
over our invoices, Mr. Frisbee discovered that there 
were four small organs, or melodeons, on board, and 
it was voted to open the after-hatch, and get one up, 
and this was done. It was a small instrument, of 
about four and one-half octaves, and fitted nicely into 
a recess in the after cabin. 

Mr. Frisbee was quite a performer upon this instru- 
ment, and it added great pleasure to the whole 
voyage. 

I used, at times, to blow my sorrows down a flute, 
and add a fitful accompaniment to the melodeon. 

When Mr. Frisbee really started in to play, as he 
did often in the dog-watches, the crew would come as 
far aft as etiquette permitted, and listen for every 
strain. 

Caesar liked the music, but old Tanner, true to his 
misanthropic tendencies, would, with a mournful 
whine, leave the cabin whenever the performance 
commenced. 

About this time, when we had the melodeon in full 
blast, it was found that the cabin was overrun with 


52 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


mice, and the belief that these little creatures are 
pleased with music was verified. At any hour near 
dark, Mr. Frisbee could entice them out onto the 
deck of the cabin by softly playing ; but the moment 
he stopped, they would rush back again to their 
holes, to reappear as soon as he recommenced to play. 
They seemed to be perfectly fascinated with the 
music, and, under its influences, to be deprived of 
their natural timidity. 

It would not do, however, for us to be overrun 
with them, or to permit them to increase ; so the 
traps were put at work, and we were soon rid of 
them, except that we could not bear to destroy the 
first few we caught. We thought they might be the 
musicians who had appreciated our music, appearing 
sometimes even when I was blowing my sorrows 
down the flute, of which I have spoken. So we kept 
the first two or three we caught alive, and Mr. 
Frisbee, with the assistance of the carpenter, made 
for them a nice little cage with a wire front, and 
they were our pets for many a long day. 

Besides our games of backgammon, we used to 
play occasionally a game of chess, and this was, and 
is, my favorite game ; at this I rather excelled. 

It was amusing to see Mr. Frisbee and Mr. Cutter 
play at checkers, and they fought out many games. 
Mr. Frisbee was the better player, but Mr. Cutter 
used to give him some hard trials. I never cared 
much for the game myself, and scarcely ever engaged 


READING BY MOONLIGHT 


53 


in it, and, if I did so, it was always to be easily beaten 
by Mr. Frisbee. 

We used to do a good deal of reading on deck in 
the pleasant days, and in the night-time for that mat- 
ter ; for, in the tropics, with a cloudless sky and a 
full moon, I have often read for hours with the great- 
est ease ; the beauty and brilliancy of the moon at 
such times must be seen to be appreciated. 

We had, at this time, been out about three weeks 
from port, and were fast approaching the equator. 
The ship’s crew were all working harmoniously 
together, and no accident worthy of notice had hap- 
pened. Chineyboy had been laid up with the measles, 
but was rapidly recovering, and the ship’s company 
could be pronounced in good health and condition. 
Up to this time nothing had occurred to interrupt 
the daily routine and monotony of a sea voyage, 
except the cgipture of the porpoise; but plenty of 
adventure lay before us, as the sequel will show. 

The voyage was progressing satisfactorily. The 
Maryland was not a fast vessel, but had proved her- 
self seaworthy, and an excellent seaboat, stanch and 
strong; and we had her, by this time, in good trim, with 
all the running gear and standing rigging in good 
working shape. The spare, useless skids, fenders, and 
side-steps, used only in port, were safely stowed away, 
and the vessel ‘‘ in ship-shape and Bristol fashion.” 
We were now, on Sunday, May 2, in latitude 3° 57' 
N., and longitude 37° 27' W., with every prospect of 
a pleasant voyage. 


54 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER V. 

CROSSING THE LINE. DESCRIPTION OF THIS ANCIENT 

CEREMONY. NAMES OF THE VICTIMS. NEPTUNE 

COMES ON BOARD, AND THE VESSEL IS HOVE TO. 

If you will remember, the last chapter left the 
Maryland in latitude 3° 57' N., or, in other words, 
about two hundred and thirty-seven statute miles 
from the equator. Now, crossing the equator has, 
from unknown ages, been celebrated on board all sea- 
going vessels by more or less merriment and pas- 
time. 

It is quite an important event at sea to cross the 
line. It is a mile-stone in the vast expanse of ocean, 
a point from which to reckon events. Thus we say 

so many days from B to the line, so many degrees 

north or south of the line, probably so many days 
more to the line, etc. 

In earlier times, the act of crossing was marked by 
great jollification, and extreme license was permitted 
to the crew, even on board well-regulated men-of-war, 
and great barbarities were often practised upon the 
passengers, and all those on board who had never 
before crossed the equator. In fact, not only barbar- 
ities, but even cruelties, for which there was no 


CROSSING THE LINE 


55 


redress. This has been vividly depicted by Marryat 
and other authors of sea stories. 

In my day at sea, the practice had not fallen 
exactly into disuse, but the matter-of-fact busy times 
in which we live had rather relegated the ceremony 
with all its barbaric accompaniments to the dark ages, 
and, in some vessels, it was not even permitted ; in 
others it was allowed in a mild form, stripped of 
much of its attendant horse-play and coarseness. 

Now we were determined to have the rite properly 
performed, but in a civilized manner. There are but 
very few conditions in the mode of procedure, and all 
crossing of the line is based upon the following 
formula, which, as I have said, is carried out in 
detail, or much curtailed. 

Neptune, the god of the sea, comes on board from 
over the bow as soon as possible after the vessel 
crosses the line. He is sometimes alone, and some- 
times accompanied by his wife. Aphrodite, and sea- 
nymphs and nondescripts of the ocean. He pays his 
respects to the captain and the officers of the quarter- 
deck, and, after asking for the news, takes charge of 
the vessel, the captain gracefully giving up the com- 
mand to His Majesty. Neptune then has the crew 
mustered aft, and picks out all those who have not 
before crossed the equator, and passes them over to 
his myrmidons to be initiated. 

This formerly consisted of sousing in hogsheads of 
water, shaving with an iron hoop, with lather of tar. 


56 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


slush, etc. Passengers were sometimes put through 
all the details of initiation, but often er permitted to 
escape them by a payment of a sum of money, or a 
bottle of rum to the watery god. 

After duly shaving, bleeding, and initiating all on 
board, on their first voyage south of the equator. His 
Majesty would disappear over the bows again, and 
the captain resume command of the vessel. 

It was this ceremony, in a modified form, that we 
were about to perform, and for which we were mak- 
ing preparation. The victims were already picked 
out, and studiously kept from discovering the plots and 
arrangements that were being perfected. They con- 
sisted of Mr. Frisbee, the passenger; Mr. Danbury, 
the carpenter; Mr. Jones, the second mate; Dee- 
Dong, the Frenchman ; and Louis Allonio, the Portu- 
guese, or Dago. 

Mr. Jones, the second mate, although a good sailor, 
had, in an unguarded moment, sometime during the 
voyage, confessed that he had never crossed the 
line, and Dee-Dong and Louis were in the same cate- 
gory ; for, although good North Atlantic sailors, they 
were making their first East-Lidia voyage. Now 
they were not so very green about these matters, as 
they, as sailors, had often heard of the ceremony ; 
and, as for Mr. Frisbee, he was not deceived at all, 
as he came of an old sea-faring family, and, 
although not a sailor, was fully posted in all the 
details of this ceremony, but of course had never 
witnessed it. 


PREPARING TO RECEIVE OLD NEPTUNE 57 


Mr. Frisbee, I think, smelled a rat a day or two 
before the ceremony, but Dee-Dong and Allonio 
were as unsuspicious as two sucking calves, never 
even giving the thing a thought, while the carpenter 
finally got it through his head that something mys- 
terious was going on, but could not tell what, and 
as for the second mate, Mr. Jones, I have no doubt 
but what he cursed his stars for ever having con- 
fessed to never having before doubled either the Cape 
of Good Hope or Cape Horn. 

As for Mr. Cutter, he was for a day or so nearly 
bursting with concealed mirth, for he was the king- 
pin in the affair : it not being etiquette for the arrange- 
ments with the crew to be made with the captain 
direct. But to the mate came all the men for in- 
struction, advice, and counsel, and intercourse with 
him was on a totally different footing for a day 
or two than on any other time during the whole 
voyage, either before or afterwards. And many 
a stealthy interview was held in his stateroom 
after dark, with members of the crew, who never 
before or afterwards put their foot inside the cabin 
door. 

Of course Mr. Cutter was in consultation with me, 
and received my consent to several requests that the 
crew made to carry out their plans, the arrange- 
ment and perfection of which caused infinite sport 
and variety to those interested, and was a harmless 
change to all from the daily uniform sea duties. 


58 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Mr. Cutter awaited the announcement from me, 
that the vessel was south of the equator, to have the 
fun commence. This fact would be known five 
minutes after it happened, by the noon observation of 
the sun, which would at once demonstrate the fact 
when it occurred. The ship’s spy-glass had been 
secretly rigged with a hair across the object-glass, so 
that all could see the line that we had passed over, 
and, although the intelligence of those whom we 
were about to initiate was such that this could not 
for a moment deceive such persons as Mr. Frisbee, 
the carpenter, or Mr. Jones, yet, for a moment, it is 
a startling thing to even a reasoning person to look 
through the spy-glass and see the line^ and, for one 
brief moment, believe that you do see it, and, in that 
moment, acknowledge the belief for just one second 
of time by a pronounced expression of surprise, for 
which the initiated are awaiting. 

Wednesday, May 5, was a lovely day, with light 
airs from the south-east, and when it was about to 
commence at noon, I saw that my observation would 
place the vessel to the southward of the line, and I 
gave the tip to Mr. Cutter that such would be the 
case. In fact, when I ordered eight bells to be 
struck, the Maryland was in latitude 0° 12' south of 
the equator. 

Mr. Cutter, who was prepared for such an an- 
nouncement, and the sailors’ also, for that matter, 
had the news quietly carried forward to the fore- 


NEPTUNE COMES ON BOARD 


59 


castle, and then dinner was served as usual, and leaving 
the deck in charge of the second mate, Mr. Frisbee, 
Mr. Cutter, and myself sat down to our usual meal. 

Chineyboy, who waited on the table as cabin boy, 
was in a broad grin all dinner long, for he knew what 
was coming, the little imp, and, in fact, had been the 
mate’s chief messenger to the forecastle for the last 
week. He was secure himself from molestation, was 
this heathen Chinese, for, although young in years, he 
had crossed the line twice in coming from China, 
and had been then put through his ‘‘ facings.” 

Even Julius Africanus, the cook, could not resist 
the impulse of coming aft into his pantry as we sat 
at dinner, and to show his white teeth in a broad 
grin, as his face gleamed with the knowledge of the 
sport that he knew was soon to commence. 

After a while the mate went on deck, and we soon 
followed him, and the second mate went below to his 
dinner, the carpenter coming aft, as was usual, to join 
him in the repast. There could not have been chosen 
a better day for the sport. The Maryland was just 
moving through the water, it being nearly a dead 
calm. All at once, as we were walking the quar- 
ter-deck, there came a most tremendous hail, from 
somewhere beyond the bows of the vessel. 

“ Bark A-A-H-o-E-Y ! Bark a-a-h-o-e-y ! What 
BARK IS THAT?” 

“ Mr. Cutter, where in the world does that hail 
come from ? I can see no vessel in sight.” 


60 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Nor I, Captain. I don't know what it means.” 

' Go forward, sir, and see what all this means, and 
call all hands pn deck, every living soul; we’ll have 
this mystery solved at once.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” replied the mate, as he hurried for- 
ward, crying out, at the same time, — 

“Turn out here, turn out here. All hands on 
deck ! All hands on deck ! ” 

“Well, Mr. Cutter, what do you find, sir, that you 
are looking so intently at over the bows ? ” 

“Why, bless my heart. Captain Frisbee, if here 
ain’t Neptune and all his crew, and he wants you to 
heave the vessel to at once, as he desires to come on 
board.” 

“All right, Mr. Cutter, His Majesty’s commands 
must be obeyed ; lay aft here the port watch, and 
back the main topsail.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” responded cheerily the amused crew ; 
and the Maryland was brought to the wind, and hove 
to with her maintopsail to the mast, and her helm 
lashed alee. And then appeared, coming in over the 
bows of the Maryland, the following motley crew. 

First came Neptune (Hiram Strong), rigged out in 
the following costume : His Majesty wore a crown, 
the points of which each represented a miniature 
trident, the counterpart of the large one that he bore 
in his right hand. His head was covered with a 
most luxuriant growth of hair, dangling down over 
his naked shoulders (made of strands of manilla rope), 


NEPTUNE’S ATTIRE. 


61 


and a beard of great length and beauty (of the same 
material). The eyes of the god were protected by 
huge green glass spectacles, and his nose, I am sorry 
to say, was of an extremely fiery red, for which state 
of affairs the Maryland’s paint supply, especially 
vermilion, was just so much short. The god’s body 
was naked to the waist, and tattooed with fishes, 
snakes, crabs, etc., also obtained by causing a shrink- 
age in the paint supply of the Maryland. On the 
trident was impaled a very fine Boneta (made of 
canvas and painted), which, no doubt, was to be 
presented to the captain. From the waist down. His 
Majesty was incased in a sea-green pair of unmen- 
tionables, Avhich did not reach quite to his knees, and 
his naked legs and feet were tattooed in conformity 
to the rest of his body. 

By this time, everybody on the bark was on deck; 
the officers on the quarter-deck, and the remainder of 
the crew in the waist, near the mainmast. 

Neptune was followed by his secretary (Michael 
Flynn), who was fitted out with as grotesque habili- 
ments, or, rather, want of them, as His Majesty, his 
insignia of rank consisting of an immense quill pen, 
several feet in length, a book of record under his arm, 
and a huge razor, with a bucket of suds and a paint- 
brush to be used as a shaving-brush in his right hand. 

The secretary was followed by His Majesty’s mes- 
senger (Chineyboy), who was just about as fat as he 
was high, and he was followed by two mermen 


62 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


(George Albion and Hans Speller), who were, if 
possible, accoutred in a more grotesque manner than 
His Majesty himself, and who held in leash two sea- 
lions (Csesar and Tanner), most admirably disguised. 

Proceeding straight aft to the waist of the vessel, 
and followed by his court, old Neptune made his 
way ; and, having arrived near the break of the poop, 
the following dialogue took place ; — 

“ Why, how do you do. Captain Frisbee? I hain’t 
see you since you came by here, in your voyage 
home from Shanghai last year. Glad to see 3^011, 
Captain. You wa’n’t captain then, if I remember, 
only mate.’’ 

“ You are right, your Majesty ; this is my first 
voyage as master.” 

Yes, jes’ so, jes’ so. Captain, you will oblige me 
with the loan of that trumpet of yourn, please, and 
deliver over the command of this vessel to me till I 
have thoroughly examined your crew.” 

“ Certainly, your Majesty, here is the trumpet, and 
you are in full command.” 

“Now, Captain, I find that lately lots of land- 
lubbers try to pass themselves off as blue-water 
sailors, who have never entered my dominions, and 
do not even know what the dividing line is that 
separates it from the remainder of the ocean. I am 
informed that, in the books that you mortals are 
given to study at school, that the question is Avritten, 
in one of them, ‘ What is the equator ? ’ and the an- 






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See page 62 



SEEING THE EQUATOR 


63 


s wer given, ‘ An imaginary line drawn round the earth 
from east to west, equi-distant from the poles in all 
its parts.’. Now, I want you to convince the green- 
horns on board here .that that is a lie ; that a real line 
exists, and that there it lies now, just eleven miles 
astern of you. 

“Steward, bring me the ship’s spy-glass.” And 
African us, with a grin, disappeared in the cabin, 
returning with the prepared spy-glass in his hand. 

“ Now, Mr. Passenger,” continued the sea-god, “no 
doubt you think that there is no real line.” And, as 
Mr. Frisbee took the proffered glass with a polite 
bow, as being perhaps the best way to meet the inevi- 
table, he was commanded by the sea-god to point it 
to the horizon astern of the vessel. 

“ There,” said Neptune, as he saAV the usual undis- 
guised start that educated persons even, so often give 
when this trick is played upon them, and before they 
can stop to think, “ there, don’t never say there ain’t 
no line there again, Mr. Passenger, will ye ? ” 

“No, I certainly will not,” politely replied Mr. 
Frisbee. 

The glass was then handed to Mr. Jones, and to 
the carpenter, and finally to Dee-Dong and Allonio, 
and the old hands enjoyed their surprise. And prob- 
ably, with the exception of Mr. Frisbee, all who 
looked through the glass were not only startled, but 
did not even know how to account for the phenome- 
non, which they knew well enough, however, was only 
a trick. 


64 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ Now, Captain, I am very anxious to know how 
things are getting along in America. I have not 
boarded a vessel for some time, and my wife, Aphro- 
dity, is dreadful anxious to know if the fashions has 
much changed.” 

“Well, your Majesty, when we left port, the crin- 
olines were slightly larger than heretofore, and the 
bonnets somewhat higher.” 

“ Ah ! I am sorry to hear that,” replied His Majesty, 
“for I shall have to send somebody way north to 
steal some more of the submarine cable to make 
Aphrodity a larger one, and her bonnet is so large 
now that she can’t move about without getting it 
full of shrimps, like a fisherman’s hand-net. I don’t 
think I shall tell her of the change,” continued the 
sea-god, reflectively. 

“ How about politics. Captain ? ” 

“Well, your Majesty, the world goes on about the 
same : all the big nations are trying to swallow up 
the little ones, and Uncle Sam is fast catching up 
and even passing some of the older nations of 
Europe ” — 

“Yes, so I hear,” interrupted Neptune. “In fact, 
you Yankees are getting altogether too smart, and I 
don’t like them cruisers that you are sending out to 
dredge the bottom of the ocean, for deep sea sound- 
ings and all that ; it is rather invading my dominions, 
and I should think that you would find enough to do 
on top of the water without meddling with my king- 


CATECHISED BY NEPTUNE 


65 


dom ; that their submarine cable has made lots of 
trouble, and I have had hard work to keep my 
people from destroying it. In fact, if you remem- 
ber some rebellious subjects of mine did cut it in two 
on the banks of Newfoundland after the first message 
had passed through it, but I had them so severely 
punished that they have let the second one alone. I 
ain’t agin humanity, but I don’t want them to invade* 
my dominions. And now. Captain, we may as well 
proceed to business.” 

“ I presume, Mr. Passenger,” said the sea-god, turn- 
ing towards Mr. Frisbee, “ that this is your first voy- 
age, in fact, I know so ‘ by the cut of your jib.’ ” 

“I cannot deny it, your Majesty,” said Mr. Frisbee. 

“Well, don’t you think that your whiskers need a 
little trimming after so many days from port ? ” 

“No, I don’t think they do,” replied Mr. Frisbee. 

“Well, I can’t agree with you, sir: you don’t look 
at all ship-shape.” 

“Perhaps it is because I do not take kindly to 
tobacco,” said Mr. Frisbee. “I brought some with 
me to sea, but find I do not care to use it.” 

“ Ah, that’s what makes you look so unsailor like,” 
interrupted Neptune. “I knew it was something 
wanting in ye, but I could not place it.” 

“ Now, if your Majesty would accept of a pound of 
this tobacco, I should be much pleased,” continued 
Mr. Frisbee, who was evidently a born diplomatist. 

“Well, I guess I’ll take it,” said Neptune, who prob- 


66 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


ably saw that he had gone as far as would be agree- 
able with the passenger, and to bind the bargain Mr. 
Frisbee went below, and returned at once with a 
pound of tobacco, which Chineyboy advanced and 
received from his hand as his tribute to the sea-god. 

“Mind you, Mr. Passenger,” said Neptune, who 
wished to get in a parting shot, to cover his discomfit- 
ure in his attack, and to uphold the dignity of his 
rank and power, “ I only accept this tobacco in lieu 
of my -other rights, on the express condition that you 
will never attempt to become a sailor, or make that 
your profession, and it is as well that you should 
thoroughly understand this now.” 

Mr. Frisbee answered the sea-god “that most assur- 
edly he should not make the sea a profession.” 

“ Ah ! then that makes that matter all right, and, 
Mr. Secretary, you just log down in that book of 
yours the affidavit made by this ’ere passenger.” The 
book was gravely opened by Neptune’s secretary, 
and the record made. 

“ Captain Frisbee, I don’t think that your second 
mate has a real South Atlantic, blue- water look. 
What’s his name ? ” 

“ Mr. J ones, your Majesty.” 

“Well, Mr. Jones, I will ask you to step to the 
break of the poop,” said Neptune. And amidst the 
suppressed laughter of all the crew, Mr. Jones 
thought it best to comply. 

Now Neptune knew it would not do to go too far 


NEPTUNE AND THE SECOND MATE 67 

with an officer of the vessel, and handled Mr. Jones 
carefully, without passing the bounds of discretion. 
Knowing it would not do to try to shave him, he 
pestered him with questions, to the great edification 
of all his listeners ; and, to tell* the truth, the second 
mate took his dose manfully, probably glad to be let 
off even as easily as he was. 

“Mr. Jones,” commenced Neptune, “I am sorry 
that such a good-looking sailor as you are should 
have arrived at the age of discretion, and not 'passed 
over the line. I am ashamed of you, and more 
ashamed of you, to think that you, as a seaman, did 
not notice the line when the vessel hit it, just before 
noon, and jumped over it. I don’t think you would 
now believe it, if your own eyes had not seen it 
through the ship’s spy-glass. I am sorry, also, to say 
that the cook informs me that you eat more than 
your share of the food served in the cabin, and the 
rotundity of your person proves his assertion. Now, 
I am sorry to have to speak in this manner to an 
officer, but it is my duty. Now, Mr. Jones, I shall 
have to ask you a few nautical questions, to see if 
you are capable of filling the position you hold on 
board this craft, before I can issue to you my certifi- 
cate of character.” 

Neptune. Can you tell just what place at sea you 
are on, by smelling of the soundings that the deep 
sea lead brings up ? 

Mr. Jones. No, I can’t say that I can. ^ 


68 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Neptune. You must perfect yourself, sir, in this, 
and never in future neglect to smell of all soundings, 
and get posted on all the different flavors. How 
many points are there between north by east and 
north by west, Mr. Jones ? 

Mr. Jones. Why, two, of course. 

Neptune (severely). No, sir, there is but one ; the 
north point. I thought you did not know. Now 
pay attention. How many ropes are there in a ship ? 

Mr. Jones. Well, I don’t know; possibly a hun- 
dred and fifty. 

Neptune. Wrong again ; there are only five, the 
man-rope, the tiller-rope, the foot-rope, the leach- 
rope, and the^ wheel-rope. I am surprised at you. 
What does a vessel weigh with all her cargo on 
board and ready for sea ? 

Mr. Jones. I don’t know; different weights for 
different sizes of vessels, I suppose. 

Neptune (indignantly). No, sir; she weighs her 
anchor. I thought every seaman knew that. I find 
you so lamentably ignorant in sea affairs,'Mr. Jones, 
that I will ask you only one more question. If the 
cargo in this vessel is worth forty thousand dollars, 
and the vessel twelve thousand dollars, and the inter- 
est on the same amounts to four hundred and 
twenty-two dollars per year, what will a ton of coal 
for the cook’s galley come to, at that rate ? 

Mr. Jones. I give it up ; that is too hard a one 
for me. 


NEPTUNE TACKLES THE CARPENTER 


69 


Neptune. Well, I thought so. Why, it will come 
to ashes, of course. And now, Mr. Jones, I certainly 
must fine you one pound of tobacco, and when you 
come back again over this part of the ocean, I hope 
to see you greatly improved. 

Mr. Jones. Well, I suppose I’ll have to pay. 

And this ended the dialogue between the second 
mate and His Majesty. 

“ Captain Frisbee, that is a smart-looking carpenter 
you have,” said Neptune. “ What’s his name?” 

“ Mr. Danbury, your Majesty.” 

“ Ah ! a sweet name. Come hither, my child,” said 
His Majesty, beckoning to the carpenter, who thought 
it best to advance a little towards the sea-god. 

Now Mr. Danbury was the wit of the vessel, and 
Neptune had his hands full when he tackled him, and 
I should be glad to relate to you all that passed 
between them, but memory will not serve me to give 
you more than a specimen or two. 

Neptune. Mr. Danbury, you of course do not 
come exactly within my jurisdiction, not being a real 
sailor, but one who must always pass by the designa- 
tion of “ Chips,” instead of able seaman. I rather 
like your appearance, and especially the plentiful 
lack of hair that appears on your cranium. How do 
you account for it? 

Mr. Danbury. Early piety, holding the lid of 
my chest up with my head, and indulging in no tom- 
foolery, such as this is. 


70 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Neptune. Ahem ! Are you a married man ? 

Mr. Danbury. No; and if I couldn’t manage a 
wife better than you do your old Aphrodite, I 
wouldn’t get married at all. 

Neptune. Do you believe in the utter depravity 
of the human race. 

Mr. Danbury. I did not up to this time, but I 
shall hereafter. 

Neptune. Do you smoke? 

Mr. Danbury. I smoke when I chews. 

Neptune. What is your opinion of the Darwin- 
ian theory ? 

Mr. Danbury. W ell, up to this time I utterly 
repudiated it; but, after a careful examination of 
your Majesty and your followers, I have become a 
strong convert to his theory. 

Neptune. Did you ever harpoon a whale ? 

Mr. Danbury. No; but I once whaled a har- 
pooner in New Bedford. 

Neptune. How old are you? 

Mr. Danbury. Ah, like the hair on the top of my 
head, the years of my life cannot be numbered. 

Neptune. How do you find yourself on board? 

Mr. Danbury. I don’t find myself at all, the ship 
has to do that. 

Neptune. I mean how do you like your post? 

Mr. Danbury. I did not bring any on board with 
me, and haven’t yet found one, so I can’t tell. 

Neptune. I mean how do you like your quarters ? 


DEE-DONG AND ALLONIO ARE SHAVED 


71 


Mr. Danbury. I ain’t got any. I spent them all 
before I came on board. 

Neptune. I mean how do you like the sea so far? 

Mr. Danbury. Well, so far as I see, it’s all right. 

Neptune. What would you do if you were in 
command at this moment? 

Mr. Danbury. Tie you and your gang to a rope, 
and tow you over the stern. 

Neptune. There, that will do ; you are dismissed; 
and Neptune had evidently had the worst of it, to 
the amusement of the officers and the crew. 

It now came the turn for Dee-Dong and Allonio. 
These poor fellows were put through the regular 
routine, but not in a cruel or brutal way. Each was 
brought before His Majesty in turn and asked his 
name, and the moment he opened his mouth to reply 
the paint-brush of the secretary was thrust down his 
throat ; he was then seized by the two mermen, and, 
in spite of his struggles, was lathered, shaved, and 
doused with a half-dozen buckets of water. Dee- 
Dong was the first victim, and as Allonio saw what 
he was going through with he made a break forward, 
but it was of no use, for as soon as His Majesty was 
through with Dee-Dong, Allonio was captured and 
brought back aft, struggling and kicking in the 
hands of the two mermen, and put through the same 
course as his predecessor. When these two were 
thoroughly washed and shaved. His Majesty politely 
handed back the trumpet to me as I stood on the 


72 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


quarter-deck, wished the vessel good-luck and all on 
board a pleasant passage, and followed by his attend- 
ants gravely made his way forward, and over the 
bows, whilst I drew attention from the sea-god by 
ordering all hands to man the braces, and fill away 
the maintopsail, and get the Maryland under way, and 
the celebration of crossing the line was ended and 
the discipline of the ship resumed ; but this innocent 
relaxation caused mirth for many a day to come, and 
reminiscences of it arose on many occasions, both in 
the cabin and forecastle, before the voyage was 
ended. 


SAIL, O ! 


73 


CHAPTER VI. 

SPEAK THE BARK EMMA C. JONES OF NEW BEDFORD. 

TAKE A PULL IN A WHALE-BOAT. EXAMINE A 

SPLENDID SPECIMEN OF THE NAUTILUS, OR PORTU- 
GUESE MAN-OF-WAR. BUTTERFLIES AND BIRDS COME 

ON BOARD. FLYING-FISH AND BONETA. 

A DAY or two after Neptune had paid us his visit, 
and while in the latitude 1° 33' S., and longitude 36° 
36' W., we were all pleased at about noontime to hear 
the always welcome cry at sea of, Sail, O ! Sail, O ! 
“Where away?” 

“Nearly ahead, sir: about half a point on the star- 
board bow.” 

Yes, there she wsiS in plain sight, and not over three 
miles distant. It had been getting calmer and calmer 
all the morning, and at noon there was not a breath 
of air stirring. By the glass, we easily made out 
the stranger to be a whaler, as her numerous boats 
hung to davits on both sides announced. She hoisted 
American colors in answer to ours, and after dinner 
I proposed to Mr. Frisbee to go on board to visit 
her. This was eagerly agreed to, and the quarter- 
boat was lowered away, and with two sailors at the 
oars away we went. It took us about an hour to 
pull to the stranger, who received us very courte- 


74 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


ously. We found that she was the bark Emma C. 
Jones, of New Bedford, whaler. Captain Jenney, 
homeward bound, with twenty-five hundred barrels 
of oil, and five days out from Pernambuco. Captain 
Jenney was very polite and glad to see us ; we had 
had the precaution to bring a few newspapers and 
books with us, that were very acceptable, and in 
return Captain J enney presented us with a fine bunch 
of bananas and a dozen or so of oranges. 

We passed quite a little time on board, examining 
the whale-boats, and listening to the explanations of 
how to capture the leviathian of the deep. Finally, 
we thought it time to return, and Captain Jenney 
proposed to take us back in his whale-boat, and to let 
our men pull back alone. This was very acceptable 
to Mr. Frisbee and myself, as I had never been in 
a fully equipped whale-boat at sea in my life, and 
they are never lowered off soundings without being 
perfectly prepared to attack at any moment. Having 
dismissed our quarter-boat, and ordered the men to 
pull back to the Maryland, we descended into 
Captain Jenney ’s whale-boat to take a cruise with 
him. If anything in this world was ever eagerly 
desired, it was that we might hear the cry of “ There 
she blows ! there she blows ! ” and find ourselves fast 
to a whale before leaving the boat ; but such was not 
our good-luck. 

Perhaps my readers will like to know just what a 
whale-boat looks like, and how she is fitted out, so, as 


A WHALE-BOAT DESCRIBED 


75 


we skip along over the glassy sea that looks like 
molten lead, I will try and give some description 
of this graceful craft. The American whale-boat is 
usually a long, narrow boat, sharp at both ends, with 
a handsome shear and low sides. She is fitted with a 
boat-compass, small kegs of fresh water, a bag of 
hard-tack and preserved meats, harpoons, and lances, 
all of which are never taken out of her except to be 
immediately replaced or renewed. Besides this, a 
short mast that carries a lug sail is stowed fore and 
aft, and can be utilized when the wind is fair. The 
crew usually consists of six men, who pull at the oars, 
three on each side, and the officer in command, who 
steers the boat with a very long oar instead of a 
rudder. This is for the purpose of swinging the boat’s 
head in any direction by a sweep of its blade, when 
she is at rest, to escape the blow of a whale’s flukes. 
A rudder only acts when the boat has motion through 
the water, and then very gradually ; but with a 
steering-oar, an officer can with one sweep, throw the 
bows round thirty degrees in either direction, thus 
avoiding danger. The steering-oar is often twenty- 
four feet in length. 

In the after part of the boat, coiled down with 
the nicest care, in what sailors call a Flemish coil, 
is the whale line attached to the harpoon. This 
line, which is of great length, is coiled in a half- 
barrel, or tub, so as not to get tangled in any way. 
Near by also is a round post that is built into the 


76 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


boat, called a loggerhead, around which a turn or 
two of the whale line is taken when a fish is struck, 
to prevent the line from running out too fast. A 
whale line is about the size of a man’s forefinger, 
and is made of the very best picked manilla. 

When a whale is struck, this line leads forward 
between the men and out over the bows, through a 
chock, where it is held in place by a pin so that it 
cannot slip out no matter what direction the whale 
may take. Near the chock is a sharp hatchet in a 
socket, that can be used to cut the line at a moment’s 
notice if the whale sounds, that is to say, dives so deep 
that the whole of the line is payed out ; if so, it must 
be cut at once, or the boat would be dragged under. 
The necessity of cutting the line occurs quite often, 
and then there is the total loss of the whale line and 
harpoon. In capturing a whale, the crew pull with 
all their might till near their prey, then the officer 
orders the bow oarsman to take in his oar, and get 
ready the harpoon, the bow oarsman being usually 
the harpooner. The officer then steers for the side 
of the whale and the harpooner delivers his thrust at 
whatever moment he deems most advantageous. 
As the harpoon leaves his hands, and while it is 
yet in the air, the officer commands, iStern, all,'' 
which is an order to the crew to back water with 
their oars to force the boat away from the whale so 
as not to be struck by the flukes when he makes his 
first plunge and dive ; and it is for this reason that 


HOW TO KILL A WHALE 


77 


the boat is built sharp at both ends. After the whale 
is struck the greatest care is to see that the line runs 
out clear, and that it does not foul, and that no one 
gets caught by clothing or limb in the coils, which 
would be almost certain death. 

The line is often taken out so fast by a large whale 
that the loggerhead smokes with the friction, and 
the line would take fire if not wetted with salt water. 
After a while the boat begins to move in the direc- 
tion that the whale has taken, and then little by 
little the paying-out of the line is checked, so that 
finally it is wholly stopped, if it is found that the har- 
poon is well fast and will bear the strain; and then 
away goes the boat dead to windward at the rate of 
ten or fifteen miles an' hour, with the water at the 
bow much higher than the boat, and the whole line as 
taut as steel. 

When the whale tires, the line is gradually hauled 
in upon and coiled down again in the tub ; but 
usually before the boat gets near enough, off he 
starts again on another journey, and line has to be 
again payed out till the boat is well started so as to 
bear the strain of being towed. Then, when the 
whale comes again to a halt, the line is pulled in, and 
when the boat is near enough to the exhausted whale 
the officer steps forward, giving the steering-oar to 
the harpooner, and lances him with a long, thin lance, 
and, if he. spouts blood, it is a good sign ; if not, off he 
goes again and the towing again commences, and 


78 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


afterwards the lancing, which, if successfully per- 
formed, the whale goes into the death flurry when 
great care must be taken to keep clear of his flukes. 

As a rule, whales float after death, and are towed 
to the ship to be there stripped of their blubber or 
skin, that contains the oil, which is tried out in large 
kettles built on deck for that purpose. If the whale 
has a tendency to sink, the harpoon sustains it till 
the vessel comes up to aid in securing it with tackles 
from her yards. 

It must be a moment of intense excitement to be 
towed by these monsters of the deep. Besides being 
used to capture whales, the American whale-boat is 
considered the best life and sea boat in the world, 
of any that is not fitted with air chambers or any ex- 
traordinary means of protection, and the one that 
will live the longest in an angry sea. In such a boat 
we were now taking a trip, and she moved through 
the water like a thing of life under the splendid mus- 
cular efforts of her trained boat’s crew. 

On our way back to the bark, we came upon a 
magnificent specimen of the Nautilus, seemingly sail- 
ing along with all sails set. It is called by sailors 
the Portuguese Man-of-War, and only seen in calm 
weather ; at other times it sinks below the surface. 
We stopped to admire it, but did not trouble it, as it 
is so fragile that it will not bear much handling, and 
cannot well be preserved ; besides, the floating ten- 
tacles that surround it often poison quite severely 


OFF NEGRO MOUNTAIN 


79 


the hand that attempts to lift it from the ocean. So 
we let it alone, and admired its fairy outlines. 

Arriving alongside, we invited Captain Jenney and 
his crew on board, and he very kindly waited till we 
wrote letters home, which he promised to deliver. 
Then, stepping down into his graceful whale-boat, he 
wished us a good voyage, and shoved off. 

After the departure of Captain Jenney, the breeze 
sprang up a little, and we slowly worked our way to 
the southward, while our neighbor was soon lost sight 
of in his course towards the north. 

It was here that we had quite a set-back in our 
voyage ; I mean as to time. The trade winds had 

been so scant since leaving B that we had 

crossed the equator much further to the westward 
than I desired to do, and found ourselves in a strong 
current, tending to the westward at the rate of even 
two knots per hour, and in the light 'winds and calms 
that prevailed we often lost as much in the drift as we 
made when there was wind enough to fill the sails, 
and for three mortal weeks Ave used to stand in and 
make Negro Mountain, near Cape St. Roque, in 
the daytime, and tacking seaward in the night-time, re- 
turn the next day to make the same old mountain. 

I almost made up my mind, at one time, to cross 
the line again to the northward, and try to make east- 
ing in that way ; but finally, after beating about for 
nearly three weeks, Ave got a slant of wind, and went 
booming out again into the centre of the South 


80 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Atlantic, at which change none of us were at all 
displeased. 

During these dull, drifting times, we managed to 
have lots of fun. Mr. Frisbee’s toy boat-building cai^je 
on apace, and the counterpart of the Maryland was 
fast being completed. It was off this Brazilian coast 
that we noticed the strength with which butterflies 
must be endowed, for we caught over one hundred 
varieties where the chart showed us to be over one 
hundred and fifty miles from land. And beautiful 
insects they were too, most of them quite large in 
size, and of beautiful variegated colors. They were 
all impaled and preserved. 

It was off this coast too, when much farther at sea, 
at least three hundred miles from land, that two 
shore birds, a soft of sparrow, sought our rigging for 
rest and shelter. They were easily captured, but 
were so exhausted that they lived but a few hours, as 
we did not seem to have anything on board, in the 
way of food, that would tempt them to eat. 

It was during so much calm weather that we had, 
however, lots of sport that we should not have had if 
the ^a had been rough and the vessel under full 
speed ; for, as it now was, we had a sail made for the 
quarter-boat, and often in light airs Mr. Frisbee and 
myself would take the boat, and sail all round the 
Maryland, and take sketches of her, from which to 
make drawings afterwards. 

One day, Mr. Cutter saw a strange fish alongside, 


HOW FLYING-FISH FLY 


81 


and that set us all to work getting fishing-gear ready. 
He would not bite at anything we could tempt him 
with, neither would he come near enough to be struck 
with the grains ; and yet, as the Maryland fanned 
along with a light air, he would chase the flying-fish, 
as they rose before the bows of the vessel. Now, 
flying-fish can’t fly far, unless there is considerable 
wind. In fact, they are unable to fly at all, but 
merely jump out of the water with their large pectoral 
fins set stiff, which filling with wind, they are carried 
along from wave to wave, splashing into the crest of 
each, nearly always dead before the wind, till they 
sink again into the ocean, possibly a hundred yards 
away. Now, although the vessel will often, in a 
strong breeze, drive thousands into the air in a single 
day in the tropics, they never move a fin, but are 
borne before the wind by the size and position of 
their large pectoral fins. In size, the flying-fish is 
usually six inches in length, has a very large eye, and 
is of a silver color, very much resembling, with the 
exception of its fins, the fresh-water chub. 

They are capital eating, and at night they some- 
times fly onto the deck in small numbers, but the rail 
is usually too high for them ; and of the thousands 
that bump their heads against the bulwarks in the 
dark, few fly high enough to come on board. When- 
ever they do, they are carefully picked up for the 
cabin-table. Off the islands of the West Indies they 
are captured by torches and firelight, and sold as a 
great delicacy in the markets. 


82 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


We finally concluded that the strange fish that we 
had seen was an albacore, — a species of horse- 
mackerel, — but we shall never know surely, for soon 
afterwards he disappeared. It was the very place 
for us to see boneta. 

The ocean around us abounded in flying-fish, and 
these are the natural prey of the boneta, or skipjack 
as they are called by sailors. This fish is of the 
mackerel species, and, as a rule, weighs about eight or 
ten pounds. They are caught in a very peculiar 
manner, and from one place only in the vessel. 
When it is calm weather, and the vessel has little 
headway, they are scarcely ever seen ; but when she 
is going through the water, they often congregate in 
schools under the bows, seemingly waiting for the 
vessel to scare the flying-fish out of the water, when 
they pursue and devour them. They will sometimes 
keep with the vessel for hours, just ahead of the 
dolphin striker, and often leave the course the 
vessel is pursuing to chase the flying-fish that are 
driven up by her progress through the water. Sit- 
ting on the jib-boom end, these fish can be distinctly 
seen in the water beneath, and their charges after the 
fleeing flying-fish observed. In chasing a flying-fish, 
they keep right on under water, just behind the fish 
in the air, and seem to keep up with ease. The 
moment the flying-fish drops back into its native 
element, they go for him, but they do not very often 
capture him. Whether the flying-fish is quick and 


HABITS OF THE BONETA 


83 


agile in the water, or takes a side course the moment 
he is immersed, I do not know; but, as a rule, the 
bonetas miss their prey, and it is well that nature has 
made this provision, or else they would soon be 
gorged and the flying-fish exterminated. After one 
of these chases, successful or not, they return to the 
bows of the vessel, keeping along with her till 
another flight of flying-fish incites them again to 
the chase. 

The boneta are good eating, and are always con- 
sidered a prize at sea, and their capture is always 
attempted whenever they appear. They are very 
uncertain in their movements, sometimes, as has been 
said, staying with the vessel hours, at other times, 
only a few minutes. As a rule, they remain about 
half or three-quarters of an hour, it depends some- 
what upon the speed of the vessel. If she is moving 
very fast through the water, they will generally 
Remain longer than when she is going slower. Now, 
it is very difficult to catch these boneta after all : they 
are knowing fellows, and not easily deceived, and yet, 
those that are caught, are taken with baits that one 
would think they would decline — usually a red 
woollen rag, or a piece of pork rind, and sometimes 
with a bait made to represent a flying-fish. I do not 
know of any certain bait for them, as they are very 
capricious, and the great cause of failure to capture 
any great number of them lies in the impossibility of 
overcoming the mechanical motion of the vessel, so 


84 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


as to keep the bait in play. To commence with, one 
must go out to the end of the jib-boom to fish, in order 
.to keep the bait clear of the bows of the vessel, and here 
comes in the difficulty of which I have spoken. The 
bait, before it reaches the water, so as to drail at all 
well, is right under the bows, and only a few feet in 
advance of the cut-water, and abaft the dolphin 
striker, and the trouble is, that that is not the place 
the fish, as a rule, occupy. They are usually right 
under the jib-boom, or nearly under the seat you 
occupy, and the bait is astern of them. To over- 
come this, the fisherman keeps throwing the bait 
out well ahead, and in doing that, its motion of 
drailing is destroyed, and that is wliat is the matter, 
for the moment the bait loses its natural motion 
through the water, the boneta will not touch it. 

Sometimes, when the fish take a position nearer the 
bows, as they occasionally do, then all is hurry to 
get the bait drailing before them, so as to get a bite, 
but here again one is doomed to disappointment, for 
just as the bait hits the water and commences to drail, 
the lift of the vessel on the restless waves of the 
ocean will send the jib-boom, on which you are seated, 
way up into the air as the stern settles down, and 
away goes the bait that had just commenced to drail 
properly, high into the air, and, under or beyond 
your seat, there to be dropped with a fathom or two 
of spare line, as the jib-boom descends towards the 
sea, in as great an angle and as quickly as it has just 


CATCHING BONETAS 


85 


risen, and this everlasting motion keeps on forever, 
and no amount of human dexterity or management 
will overcome it. 

Hundreds of times the bonetas will dart towards 
the bait, that in one moment drails as it ought, but 
before they reach it, away it goes into the air, and, 
if followed by them, as it often is, drops with a dead 
plump into the sea, as the jib-boom descends, and the 
fish, undeceived in a moment, rush up to within a 
foot or two of it and then pass it by with contempt. 

Besides all this, if you are not successful after a 
few attempts, the fish will soon become accustomed 
to your bait, and will not notice it when it is even 
drailing for a moment in the proper position. The 
time that the fish are captured is when they have 
just arrived, and their position in rear of the bait is 
such that they can reach it before the motion of the 
vessel takes it out of the water. It is at this lucky 
moment that they are captured even with a common 
red rag, for they have no time to make any inspection 
while the bait is whizzing through the water as fast 
as the vessel is sailing. 

Mr. Frisbee was the best fisherman on board, and 
was always ready with a good strong hand-line and 
bait to lay-out on the end of the jib-boom at the first 
cry of “ skipjacks under the bow.” He used a bait 
made up of strips of Avhite cloth and flannel as the 
best, after having tried and discarded wooden flying- 
fishes, spinning pieces of copper, birds’ feathers, and 


86 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


pork rind; but before he became an expert, he went 
through with two experiences that old sailors know 
all about, but took care not to tell him of. They 
were these : the first time that he got a boneta up 
to the end of the jib-boom, which it is no easy job 
to do, even after he is hooked, he unhooked him to 
bring him in on board, and, with one single flap qf 
his tail, the fish escaped and returned to his native 
element, to the chagrin of Mr. Frisbee and the sub- 
dued laughter of the crew who were looking over the 
bows to see the sport. 

The next one that Mr. Frisbee caught he was 
determined should not escape, so, fixing his fingers 
firmly in the gills and pressing the fish close to his 
body, he commenced to come in along the jib-boom 
with his prize ; but before he got half-way in he 
turned as pale as death, and when he arrived at the 
forecastle deck, and had thrown down the fish in 
safety, commenced to vomit violently over the side. 

Now this is a common occurrence, and all old 
salts know about it. Whenever a boneta is clasped 
to the body to preserve it, it has a method of setting 
up an indescribable sort of shivering that passes in 
rapid waves through its whole body, and so affects 
the person holding it as to make one ahvays violently 
ill. Some say that it is the electricity in them, others 
that the rapid beating of the fish upon the heart and 
stomach of the one holding it is the cause. Let it be 
what it may, it always occurs to those who attempt 


THE GRAINS COME IN PLAY 


87 


to secure a boneta by pressing it against their body to 
preserve it. The motion is not great, like a fish lash- 
ing about on deck, but exceedingly penetrating, and 
best described as a series of rapid shiverings. 

After these two experiences Mr. Frisbee went to 
work in the right direction, and always afterwards 
one of the crew accompanied him to the jib-boom end, 
and when the boneta was secured, he was dropped, 
without being unhooked, into an open bread-bag, 
held ready for him, and, so confined, easily brought 
in on deck, to shortly afterwards appear upon the 
cabin-table as a great sea luxury. 

When the fishing has gone on some time, either 
successfully or otherwise, an attempt is usually made 
to catch these boneta with the grains, and this used 
to be my forte. They do not swim very deep, usually 
four or five feet under water, and it is great sport to 
stand on the board at the dolphin striker, and heave 
the grains at them as they come near. They don’t 
seem to mind this at all, but it is quite a task to 
make many casts, for the line fast to the grains is 
manned on the forecastle, and if the strike is unsuc- 
cessful, away goes the iron and staff, drifting past the 
side of the advancing vessel, and it has to be hauled 
up on to the forecastle deck, and carried out on to 
the bowsprit, and handed down to the striker, before 
another trial can be made. 

But when boneta will not bite, it is human nature 
and rare sport to capture one in this way, and it is 


88 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


quite often done, but, it takes on an average ten or 
twelve throws before a successful one is made ; and, 
even then, if the grains are not hauled in rapidly, 
before the fish gets to towing alongside, beyond the 
bows, he is often lost, being, in the latter case, torn 
off by the rapidity of the vessel through the water. 
When one is struck and hauled in on deck, there is a 
general feeling of, “ There ! confound you, you 
wouldn’t bite, hey ! ” which I presume every boy has 
felt. 

There is one peculiarity of the boneta of which I 
have not spoken. They, like the mackerel, appear 
to be without scales ; that is to say, they are smooth- 
sided, and the minute scales do not show. They are 
of a dark greenish-brown color on the back, with 
silver sides. But the most peculiar thing is the 
dorsal fin, which is adipose in texture, and shuts 
down into a natural sheath in the fish's back, and 
works exactly as a centreboard does in a boat, in its 
centreboard box. Why it is fitted in this manner, I 
am unable to say. The tail is also exceedingly small 
and delicate for so large a fish, and the pectoral fins 
are evidently what it depends upon for speed. They 
seem to have no difficulty in keeping up with any 
vessel when at the highest rate of speed, and they 
prove the rapidity with which they can swim by 
inevitably darting forward out of sight whenever 
they choose to chase the flying-fish that rise into the 
air to avoid the on-coming vessel. 


POISONOUS FISHES 


89 


If boiieta would only follow vessels, why then we 
could have great sport, for the lines could be made to 
drail properly ; but no sailor ever saw a boneta fol- 
lowing a vessel; they always make for the bows, 
and precede her in her course. 

There is some little superstition amongst sailors 
about eating both porpoise and boneta, for fear of 
being poisoned, and it is no doubt true but that 
there are many authentic accounts of poisoning by 
the eating of fish. It all amounts to this : if the fish 
caught have been inhabiting or feeding upon copper- 
bottom ground, they are apt to be at times slightly 
poisonous, and in Nagasaki, Japan, I have seen a 
whole crew’ taken with vomiting by eating fresh 
mackerel that had been captured on coppery bottom. 
As a rule, the fish caught at sea are free from this, 
but to make assurance doubly sure, the cook usually 
puts a silver dollar into the dish in which these fishes 
are prepared, and, if it is discolored while the fish are 
cooking, why then they are rejected as being tainted 
with copper ; but if the silver dollar comes out of the 
ordeal still bright, why then the fish are all right. 
At any rate, they are never poisonous to such an extent 
as to cause death, and, with the exception of the 
mackerel of which I have spoken, taken in Nagasaki 
Bay, I have never seen anybody suffer any bad 
results from partaking of the boneta and porpoises 
caught at sea. 


90 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE boatswain’s YARN. — AND SAILORS’ RELIGIOUS 
BELIEF, AND IDEA OF HEAVEN. 

One evening while we were sitting on the quarter- 
deck, Mr. Frisbee asked me if I had any objections 
to George Albion, one of the sailors, coming aft and 
telling us a yarn to pass away the time. 

‘‘ Not the slightest,” replied 1. 

“Mr. Jones, pass the word forward to George 
Albion to come aft; we want. him to spin us a yarn.” 
And in response to the summons he shortly appeared. 

“Now, George, Mr. Frisbee says you know a real 
good true yarn that you have been giving him scraps 
of, and, if so, why fire away and let us have it entire, 
and with all the gill-guys.” 

“ W ell. Captain, you see I ain’t much at spinning 
a yarn, never having been smart enough to get abaft 
the mainmast from amongst the forecastle hands, and 
yet once I was a boatswain of as taunt a clipper as 
ever floated. As the night is clear and the starb’d 
stun’s’ls drawing well, and no look in the sky of any 
change in the weather, 1 will do what I can. Captain, 
to please ye and the passenger, hoping you’ll bear in 
mind that I never had no school laming to speak of, 


SAILOR ELOQUENCE 


91 


but got the little I have from the breath of the ocean, 
swallered in gale and calm for more nor forty year 
as man and boy. Thank ye, Captain, but I’d rather 
stand. 

“ It was in the August of ’53, that we set sail in 
the Favorite, from San Francisco, Captain Oliver 
Lander, master, in ballast for Shanghai. 

“ The Favorite was a gallant craft of ’bout fourteen 
hund’ed ton, a perfect clipper with lines as fine as 
those of a two-hund’ed-ton yacht ; ay, and her deck 
as clean and neat too, if I do say it, who hadn’t 
doughter. 

“ After a few days out we struck the trades, and 
began to plough our way through the smooth waters 
of the Pacific, with the wind day by day, from the 
same quarter, about three p’ints abaft the beam. 

“ The flying-fish rose in schools under the graceful 
bows of the Favorite, and scudding ahead upheld for 
a times by the trades, would finally drop back into the 
long ocean swells that rose smooth and reg’lar as the 
breathings of an infant- The nights were lit up by 
a brilliant moon, so bright that you might easily read 
a book. 

“ With stun’s’ls set alow and aloft on the starb’d 
side, and last, not least, with Pete’s woice at every 
watch when all hands hauled taut the weather main 
brace, or sweated up the tops’l halliards, we spun 
gallantly along. 

Pete had a fine, manly, sailor’s woice, none o’ yer 


92 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


thin, squeakin’ ones, but one that ye could hear in a 
gale o’ wind. Pete was, ye see, a Norwegian by birth, 
like his namesake on board this ere craft, and I have 
al’awys remarked that that ’ere nation make capital 
sailors. 

“ Pete was an able seaman in every sense of the 
word ; small in size, but quick as a dolphin arier a 
flying-fish ; always the first aloft on the yard, and the 
last to leave it. 

“Pete had been from childhood among English- 
speaking nations, and had no twang to distinguish 
him from any on us. He used to have one ballad as 
long as the fore-to’-gallant-bowlin’ that he was never 
tired of singing, in the pleasant trades, to the admirin’ 
fo’cas’le. It run like this ere, — 

“ ‘ Oh ! Georgie, he never stole sheep, 

Nor cows he ne’er stole a-n-y • • 

But he stole five of the king’s fat deer, 

And sold them under va-l-e-e-e. 

Now Georgie’s to be hung with a golden chain 
As seldom you see a-n-y ; « 

For he belongs to the r’yal, r’yal blood. 

And he died for a fair yoitng laid-e-e.’ 

“Well, Captain, so much for poor Pete’s singin’ 
an’ now I’ll clap on sail and get to the end of this 
ere yarn. 

“ I should have told you afore, that Captain Lander 
had his wife on board, and a little darter about ten 


THE CAP'i'AIN’S LITTLE DAUGHTER 


93 


year old. She was more like an angel than a mortal, 
with great staring eyes, as deep a blue as the ocean 
itself, and hair that looked like the golden sands of 
South Ameriky in a summer sunset. 

“This child was as fearless as a Mother Carey’s 
chicken; as pure as an ocean breeze. P’raps we 
didn’t love this little one ! Ah, we almost wor- 
shipped her, and, as for Pete, he adored her. 

“ One day we were sailing along as we might be 
now, with the wind about east-nor’-east, three p’ints 
abaft the beam, an’ within ten days’ sail of Shanghai, 
when about eight bells in the morning, a sail was dis- 
kivered iii the distance. 

“ A man aloft sung out, ‘ Sail, O ! sail, O ! ’ 

“ ‘ Where away ? ’ shouted the captain. 

“‘Just abaft the beam, to the north’ard,’ was the 
answer. 

“I never can know rightly what happened arter 
that ; for the next thing I remember was the child 
upon the rail to look, and in one instant, by a sudden 
lurch of the ship — in the sea, followed almost 
instantly by Pete. 

“ The next ten minutes was to my mind an eternity ; 
and I shall never forget the crossing of orders, like 
shots from fi’ting men-o’-war. 

“ ‘ Hard down ! — hard down, for your life ! ’ 
shouted the captain, almost frantic. ‘ Lower away 
the boat ! lower away the boat ! Cut the falls ! 
Cut away the buoy ! Oh, my child, my child ! ’ 


4 


94 LOG OF THE MARYLAND 

“ Luckily, the life-buoy had been early cut away, 
and the starb’d quarter-boat was soon floating along- 
side, manned in a moment more by a willing crew, 
and I in the starn-sheets. 

“ ‘ Give way men, and with a will.’ 

‘‘ But no orders of mine were needed to make 
every jack tar do his duty. 

“ As the boat dashed from the ship’s side, I hailed 
the quarter-deck, and said, ‘ Keep a bright lookout, 
and signal us where to steer.’ For, do you see, Mr. 
Passenger, Avhen a ship has been laid aback, Avith her 
main-top’sl to the mast, her direction has been so 
changed that you might as Avell look for a marline- 
spike in the fore-top as - for anything lost overboard, 
unless signalled in what direction to steer. 

‘‘ I have seen men pull in many dangerous times, 
but I never saAV men lay down to their work as those 
did. 

Tlie swell of the ocean kept us from seeing far 
ahead, but as we rose on the top of one that was 
larger than usual, 1 caught sight of a Avhite object, a 
little off the port bow, Avhich I thought must be the 
buoy. I changed the direction of the boat, and 
steered for it. 

“ Tn a moment or two, I saw it again, and felt sure 
that it was the buoy, and something clinging to it. 
Was it Pete, or the child? I could not tell. 

‘ Give .Avay, lads I Give way for your liA^es!’ I 
cried. 


PETE, THE CHILD, AND THE SHARK 


95 


“ As we rose on each swell, I got a better an’ better 
view of the bnoy. 

“ W as it the child I saw, or only Pete ? or was it 
the child without Pete? Something was clinging 
to it. 

“As we rose again, I saw plainly that it was 
both Pete and the child, and I cried out, ‘ Saved ! 
saved ! ’ 

“ I hailed Pete at the top of my voice, ‘ Hold 
fast to the kid, shipmate, and we’ll soon be along 
side ! ’ 

“ J ust then, what should I see half-way between us 
and the buoy but the black fin of a great man-eating 
shark ! 

“ Old and tough as I was, my blood ran cold in 
my veins. Had he scented his prey? Would he 
take the child, or Pete, or both? 

“ The shark changed his course suddenly, having 
evidently crossed their wake, and scented them. 
He made straight for the buoy, now not more nor a 
few hund’ed yards distant, and I stood up in the 
starn-sheets, with clinched hands, unable to do a 
single thing to aid my shipmate or the child. 

“ With the cunning of his tribe, the fearful crea- 
ture circled round the buoy, and T saw by a movement 
of Pete that he had seen him also. 

“ I was near enough also to notice that Pete drew 
his sheath-knife ; and the next instant the shark was 
upon him from the side upon which the child clung. 


96 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Pete was too quick for him, howsomdever, and passed 
his body rapidly over that of the little one. With 
his left hand still grasping the buoy, and sustaining 
the child, he dealt the ferocious man-eater a heavy 
stroke. The next moment the boat, driven by des- 
perate hands, struck the buoy, and the bow oarsman 
siezed the child, and lifted her on board safe and 
sound. 

“Then we grasped Pete; but to our horror, we 
only drew out of the water his disfigured body — the 
torn and bleeding frame of as gallant a sailor as ever 
trod a plank. 

“We pulled back to the ship, and delivered the 
child safe and sound to her parents, whose joy was 
mingled with sorrow when we slung poor Pete care- 
fully, and h’isted him to the quarter-deck. 

“We laid him gently upon a mattress, spread by 
the steward, and all saw that he was dying. • 

“ With his head resting in the lap of the darling 
child, he said, — 

“ ‘ I am glad to die for you, little one. I am not 
an old man, but once I loved one whom I hoped some 
day would be mine. But she died — and her loss 
sent me a roving sailor round the world, careless, 
reckless — but I hope not bad. Your sweet face, my 
angel, has al’ays reminded me of her, and I shall 
never have better luck than to die for you.’ 

“ As the child bent down, and kissed his forehead, 
her sunny locks made a frame of gold around his 


DEATH OF PETE 


97 


handsome, but weather-beaten face, and I heard him 
softly mutter, — 

“ ‘ For he belongs to the r’yal, Fyal blood, 

And he died for a fair young laid-e-e.’ 

“We covered his body with the ship’s colors, and 
the next day consigned his body to the deej),” and, 
brushing his sleeve hastily across his eyes, George 
bade us respectfully good-night, and made his way 
forward. 

For some time Mr. Frisbee and myself s*at silent, 
oppressed by the sadness of the sailor’s yarn. Finally 
Mr. Frisbee broke the spell by saying, — 

“ Captain, what great noble hearts some of these 
rough sailors have ! In many ways they are as tender 
as women, and in others as coarse and profane as a 
West-Indian pirate of romance. They must all have 
seen strange sights, and have had many personal ad- 
ventures which it would be highly edifying to have 
related, and I vote that we have some more of these 
yarns before the voyage is ended. Is there any objec- 
tion to it? ” 

“Not the slightest. I cannot say that it is a 
common thing, but certainly there can be no harm 
in it, and it will help to wear away the hours of a 
long voyage. I remember when I was a boy, that 
my sister made a voyage with Captain John Codman 
and his wife (the one who has since become so famous 
by his books, under the norm de plume of Ringbolt,) 


98 LOG OF THE MARYLAND 

to Rio Janeiro and back for her health, and it was in 
the days when sailors were not treated as w'ell as 
they now are, and the etiquette of the quarter-deck 
was more emphasized ; and yet she told me that they 
used to have members of the crew aft on the quarter- 
deck to sing and play. One particular one, a Span- 
iard, was made a great favorite of on account of his 
guitar; besides, we are prosecuting this voyage on a 
different basis than a strictly mercantile one, and it 
partakes of the cruising of a yacht as well as a venture 
for gain and a livelihood ; and it is part of our pur- 
pose to se‘e all we can and improve our minds, — 
much more so than to make an extraordinary passage 
by martinet rule, and wearing the men out by ex- 
cessive night- work in shifting every sail, to take 
advantage of each little puff of a variable wind. 
Now, such is not our purpose, and I think your plan 
to have a yarn once in a while an exceedingly good 
one.” 

“Well, Captain, I am so glad you agree with me,” 
said Mr. F risbee ; “ and I shall call on you for one 
before the voyage is over.” 

“Well, if you do, I shall retaliate by making you 
relate a landlubber one to myself and the mates.” 

“ All right, Captain ; ' if you’ll tell a yarn. I’ll do 
the best I can.” 

“Now, look here, Frisbee, of course it won’t do to 
have too much of this sort of thing, so that the crew 
will think that they have shipped to spin yarns ; but 


SAILORS’ SUPERSTITIONS 


99 


whenever it comes a good, quiet night like this, and 
there will be lots of them in the Indian Ocean, I 
have no objection to one of the men coming aft and 
giving us a good yarn. In fact, as I have said, I 
think it quite an idea.” 

After a silence Mr. Frisbee said, ‘‘What a heavenly 
night. Captain ! look at the myriad of stars. Oh, 
what a magnificent sight.” 

“ Did you ever hear, Mr. Frisbee, of the firm reli- 
gious belief of some of these poor sailors you have 
spoken about?” 

“ No ; what is it?” 

“ W ell, what I am going to say is not given you 
in any mocking spirit, for I do not deem it manly or 
proper to jest about sacred things. ‘ For those that 
go down to the sea in ships, see the wonders of His 
hand ; ’ but are you aware that there is a large class 
of seamen who do not think that they will go to 
heaven, for they feel they have not led perfect 
enough lives for that, and that neither will they go 
to a place of punishment, for they have not had the 
opportunities that those on shore have had to visit 
churches, and hear preaching each Sunday; for, to tell 
you the truth, there are very few vessels that have 
religious services, as we do, on Sundays at sea. 
Many of these sailors whose whole lives are spent on 
the ocean, except a month or so in port in each year, 
usually wasted in excess and riot, believe that a 
place has been set apart for them in the hereafter, 


100 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


which place they call Fiddler’s Green. I am sorry 
to say that the location given to this place by the 
best authorities is but a few miles from the place of 
eternal punishment; but the believers in this creed 
argue, that it would not be just to punish them as 
the rest of mankind is punished, as they have not 
had like opportunities for improvement, and, as I 
have said, for the same reason and others they do 
not think that they are worthy of being received into 
a hereafter of happiness when they die. This belief 
has been made a great deal of fun of by the unthink- 
ing, and treated as a fiction. But many seamen 
grown to man’s estate are as children in education, 
and this belief of which I have spoken is firmly 
believed by many of the ignorant amongst them. If 
you ask what they expect to find in Fiddler’s Green, 
you will get as a general reply, a rest from all fatigue, 
all hard work, a haven of rest, a material paradise 
where all shall be peace, quietness, and content. 
Queer, isn’t it? but true.” 

“Yes,” replied Mr. Frisbee; “it is very queer. I 
have heard of something of the sort before, but 
thought it was a joke.” 

“ No ; it is not a joke with many of them, and their 
hard lives and night-work make them, in lieu of any 
proper training in childhood, cling with peculiar 
tenacity to this belief, and nothing will convince 
them that they are not at last, after all their years 
of exposure and unrest, to come into this snug 
harbor.” 


TROFANITY OF SAILORS 


101 


“ But what makes sailors, as a rule, so profane ? ” 
asked Mr. Frisbee. 

“ The same thing : the want of early education and 
care. Profanity to them means nothing : the merest 
words, the zeal that gives emphasis to sentences. 
Morally speaking, nine sailors out of ten are babies, 
perfect babies, and almost as excusable.” 

“Well, Captain, we have had a pleasant evening, 
and, as it has just struck four bells (ten o’clock), I 
think I will go below.” 

“ All right ; wait a moment till the log .is hove : 
let’s see how fast she is going.” 

The log was hove, Mr. Jones announcing that the 
Maryland was reeling off six knots per hour. The 
man at the wheel was relieved, also the one on the 
lookout forward, and Mr. Frisbee and myself de- 
scended the companionway, and turned in. 


102 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER VIII. 

SWIMMING-JACKETS AND SEA-BATHS, BOTH MEN AND 

DOGS. CAPTURE SMALL SHARK AND REMORA. 

SHOOT FLYING-FISH, AND CATCH THEM IN A NET. 

WHALE ALONGSIDE. WHITE WATER. JUMP ON THE 

BACK OF A SHARK TO PROVE THEY ARE NOT DAN- 
GEROUS. THE cook’s scare. RUDDER-FISH. 

* ^ / 

Possibly nothing during the whole voyage gave 
Mr. Frisbee and myself greater pleasure than our 
baths. Now, of course it is not possible, as a usual 
rule, to bathe at sea when the vessel is going through 
the water; but we overcame that obstacle, as you 
shall hear. Both Mr. Frisbee and myself were good 
swimmers, and we were determined not to be done 
out of our daily sea-bath, unless the vessel was going 
really too fast, or the sea too rough ; and, to enable 
us to enjoy it, the following invention was perfected. 

I had one of the sailors make for myself and Mi* 
Frisbee a band of strong canvas, about a foot wide, 
that would fit round the body under the armpits, and 
come together at the back, where two beckets were 
worked in, exactly like the handles to a valise. 
Tanner and Csesar were fitted with similar ones, and 
every morning in the trades, when the weather would 







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BATH UNDER THE BOWS 


103 


permit, a stout ladder of about ten feet in length was 
taken out and lashed to the dolphin striker, to enable 
us to get down into the water. Lines were then 
made fast to each of us and the dogs, of varying 
lengths, according to the position we occupied, and 
made fast by some of the crew to different parts of 
the jib-boom. 

Now, as I have said before, in the description of 
boneta fishing and dolphin striking, a vessel at sea is 
never quiet, but, with a breeze, is forever sticking her 
nose up into the air, and then burying her bows in 
the next valley between two waves. Now, by our 
invention, we could take a bath at most any time 
when the vessel was not going so fast through the 
water as to be dangerous; for, lashed by ropes 
attached to the swimming-jackets, as I have explained, 
we had great sport, being at one moment in the ocean, 
swimming along on the top of some huge wave, and 
the next jerked into the air, and carried forward, to 
be dumped again into the sea, as the vessel made her 
graceful bows to Neptune. 

We nearly died laughing at the dogs, who didn’t 
like it quite as well as we ; or, at any rate, did not 
understand it as well, fgr they often kept paddling 
with all their legs when in mid-air, the same as if in 
the water. And poor old Tanner evidently consid- 
ered the whole performance a nuisance, for, in the 
latter part of the voyage, it was noticed that when 
ever the swimming-jackets and ladder were produced 


104 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


he suddenly retired to the privacy to he found 
underneath the top-gallant forecastle, in the extreme 
eyes of the ship, and from which place it became very 
difficult to dislodge him ; so much so that finally he 
was excused altogether from the swimming exercise. 

There did not seem to be any danger in this pas- 
time, and we enjoyed it often, until, unluckily, one 
day the foot of the ladder in some way came down 
across my neck, and forced me under water to such a 
depth that I did not know if I ever should come up. 
But, luckily, on the next swell, I cleared myself, but 
found that I had been considerably bruised by the 
round of the ladder on the back of my neck, and 
after that, we voted the whole sport rather too dan- 
gerous, and took to being towed over the stern, in the 
same jackets, in which latter position we were in the 
ocean all the time, and never lifted out of it till 
hauled on board at a signal. But I always had a 
feeling, when being towed astern, that I imagine a 
piece of bait might have at the end of a line ; that 
is, that something would snap at my legs. And Mr. 
Frisbee shared this feeling with me, and before the 
voyage ended we gave up the pastime. When we 
were bathing over the bows, there was none of this 
sensation of being drailed, like a big bait, for some 
fish to snap at ; and as my accident with the ladder 
did not happen till we were in the Indian Ocean, 
near to the Straits of Sunda, we had a great many 
joyful, happy baths, in the manner I have described. 


KEEP A FISH-LINE TOWING ASTERN 


105 


W e used always, during the voyage, to keep a line 
towing over the stern, with a codfish-hook attached 
to it, and baited with a piece of pork, unless the 
weather was too severe, when it was taken in and 
coiled away, but immediately put out again so soon 
as the weather permitted. 

Now, this fish-line was arranged in a peculiar man- 
ner. The end was made fast to the rail in such a 
way that nothing could unfasten it ; but a short dis- 
tance from the end, some five or six feet, a small pin, 
the size of one’s finger, was lashed to the line, and 
this was set up in a hole in the rail made for it, the 
intent being that if any fish was hooked that this pin 
would break off, thus calling the attention of the 
man at the wheel or the officer of the deck to 
the fact; for, if there was no such signal given, a 
fish might be hooked and dragged all night before 
anybody would notice it in a sea-way and with a 
fresh breeze. We were not very lucky with this fish- 
line, and did not expect to be, as the great, limitless 
body of the vast ocean does not contain very many 
fish off soundings, except the varieties of which I 
have spoken. 

But sometimes there are strange creatures of which 
we have little knowledge, and during the voyage this 
line was bitten off, hook and all, several times, the 
warning being given by the breaking of the pin ; but 
we never knew what did it, for it was always a snap, 
and all was over. 


106 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


One morning, however, we were moving quite 
slowly through the water, it being nearly a calm, 
when snap went the pin of what the crew called 
Frisbee’s tow-line, and Mr. Frisbee, being on deck, 
jumped and caught hold of it; at last we had got 
something fast, as was proved by its exertion to 
escape, and Mr. Frisbee’s determination that he 
should make us a morning call on deck, and for some 
time it was pull passenger and pull fish, but, finally, 
Mr. Frisbee got the best of him, and he began to 
come towards the ship, hand over hand, but in a 
reluctant way, and was finally landed on the quarter- 
deck as handsome a little shark as was ever, seen, 
for he was only three feet and a half long. 

He gave us great amusement ; his head was cut off, 
and towed over the stern for weeks, until perfectly 
cleansed and articulated, and we used strips of his 
hide for emery paper. The funniest thing of all this 
was, that after he was on deck we discovered two 
black objects, clinging to him near the ventral fins, 
black in color and about eight inches in length. At 
first we did not know what to make of them, and 
thought they were young ones attached to their 
parent ; but finally it flashed over me that they were 
remOra, a parasitic fish that attach themselves to a 
larger one, and never let go their hold; and such 
they were, for we had to force a sheath-knife in 
between them and the shark before they could be dis- 
lodged, and, when freed from him, they had the 


REMOKA 


107 


appearance of a fair-shaped fish, except that on the top 
of their heads was a ribbed disk, as large as the mouth 
of a teacup, by which they attached themselves to 
their friends, the sharks, as the old man of the sea 
did to the neck of Sindbad the sailor. 

We were so disgusted with their tenacity in hold- 
ing on, that, after being detached, we threw them 
overboard, and, it being at the time nearly calm, it was 
interesting to see them, for some time, scooting about 
in every direction, trying to find the shark to attach 
themselves to again, and having the appearance, on 
account of the disk on their heads, as if they were 
swimming upside down. 

This is the same fish that in olden times was sup- 
posed to fasten itself to the bottom of vessels and 
retard their speed, when ordered so to do by com- 
mand of the gods. 

Mr. Frisbee was greatly exasperated that we could 
not catch any of the numerous flying-fish that 
abounded. Just enough of them found their way on 
deck, once in a great while, in the night-time, to 
prove their delicate flavor, and, like Oliver Twist, he 
wanted “ more ; ” but how to get them was not so 
easily decided. One morning I saw him in deep 
consultation with the carpenter, Mr. Danbury, and 
afterwards with Albion, forward ; and the result was, 
that the carpenter, taking one of the hoops off a 
beef-barrel, and using one of the long battens for the 
backstays, had produced a first-rate light hand-net 


108 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


pole and scoop. The sailor, in the mean while, had 
netted with twine as nice a landing-net as one might 
wish to see. This was soon seized on to the barrel 
hoop, and, lo and behold ! we had a scoop, or land- 
ing-net, that was very useful on many occasions 
during our voyage in lifting objects in from the 
water, or scooping up anything that came within its 
reach in a calm. 

“Well, Mr. Frisbee, what are you going to par- 
ticularly use that net for? It is very handsome, and 
will be of use on many occasions, but you have evi- 
dently had it made for some peculiar purpose.” 

“Yes, Captain, I have; and if you will permit me 
to take Pete forward with me on the forecastle, I 
will show you how I intend to use it.” 

“ Certainly, certainly. Here, Pete, take that net, 
and go forward, and do what Mr. Frisbee wants 
you to.” 

“ Ay, ay. Captain,” said Pete, respectfully, picking 
up the net, and starting forward ; but, as he went 
one way, Mr. Frisbee started and went the other, and 
soon appeared with his gun. 

“ Why, Mr. Frisbee, what in the world are you 
going to shoot? There are no birds about.” 

“ I know that. Captain ; but there are plenty of 
flying-fish, and I have had the taste of them, and I 
want some more. And I’m going to bang at each 
one that rises, dead ahead ; and, Pete, if I hit him, 
you stand by to bag him as he drifts by.” 


SHOOTING FLYING-FISH 


109 


“ Ay, ay, sir,” said Pete. 

“ Well, that is a scheme,” said I, “and a good one, 
too,” and I dove below to get my gun, but not before 
I heard Mr. Frisbee’s go bang, and shortly after 
bang again, and before I could get forward bang 
again, and when I arrived, I found that Pete had 
netted two fine flying-fish, and that Mr. Frisbee 
had missed the third one ; and then commenced a 
duel to see who could kill the most^ for we found 
that with the motion of the vessel and the swift 
flight of the fish, that it was no fool of a job to hold 
on to them, and we missed many. Some, also, 
got by Pete, outside of the reach of his net; some 
few sunk ; but most of them floated, as all fish sud- 
denly stunned do ; but in a short time we had a dozen 
fish in a bucket on deck, as handsome as- ever were 
seen, and we knew how nice they would taste fried. 
The doctor’s eyes snapped with delight, when he 
came out of his galley to see what was going on. 

“ Why, Captain, dem the nicest critters ebber was ; 
but I reckon dat folks don’t dun go gunnin’ for dem 
a heap. You and Mr. Frisbee, sah, is bound to get 
de game in dis yere craft,” and off he went, with the 
bucket full, to prepare them for the table. 

From this time forth, during the whole voyage, we 
had fresh flying-fish whenever we cared to take the 
trouble to shoot them ; that is to say, in the localities 
in which they abounded, and when the vessel was 
not going so fast that Pete could not handle the net. 


liO 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


We saw several whales in the South Atlantic, but 
none very near at hand; but we never saw one spout 
without wishing that our friend, Captain Jenney, of 
the Emma C. Jones, was at hand, and that Mr. Fris- 
bee and myself were with him in his whale-boat, fast 
to one of the largest of the tribe. 

One morning we were aroused by the cry from 
aloft of, “ There she blows ! there she blows ! ” and, 
sure enough, there was the huge monster, not a quar- 
ter of a mile away from the ship, and apparently mak- 
ing towards us, and such was the fact, for in a few 
moments he was alongside, and kept up with us with 
perfect ease, although we were going through the 
water quite fast and with stun’s’ls set. He was a 
perfect monster, at least fifty feet in lengtli, and 
often came within forty or fifty feet of the side of 
the vessel. He acted exactly as if he thought the 
Maryland one of his own species, and was determined 
to keep company. At times, he disappeared ahead, 
and sheered off for a short period, but soon again 
turned up, rolling along at a short distance from us, 
usually on the starboard side. It was evidently a 
right whale or a sulphur bottom, and I was not well 
enough informed to decide which, but am inclined to 
think, by the shape of his head, and the size of his 
spout, that he belonged to the latter family, which 
whalers account as of little value. His head was not 
blunt enough for a right whale, and his spout was 
wrong for a sperm whale. It was something awful 


SHOOTING AT A WHALE 


111 


and grand to see him sweep along, just under water, 
Avithout apparent effort, propelled by his immense 
flukes, but after a while Ave got over this feeling, 
and having gazed at him, possibly over an hour, Ave, 
human-like, were bound to have a crack at him with 
something. So, Mr. Frisbee, armed with one of the 
Sharp’s carbines, posted himself in the mizzentop, 
waiting for him to shoAv out of water to blow, to put 
a ball in him. Mr. Cutter was opposed to the whole 
proceeding, and was afraid that if he did not like the 
dose, he might tackle the vessel, but I thought there 
Avas no danger of that, or, at any rate, young man 
like, I was willing to risk it, and gave Mr. Frisbee 
permission to blaze away, Avhenever he could get a 
chance. 

He had to wait for a long time, but finally the 
Avhale, Avhile quite near alongside, threw the forAvard 
part of his body out to blow, and Mr. Frisbee let 
him have it, and, to the amazement of everybody, he 
paid no more attention to that Sharp’s rifle bullet 
than if he had been hit Avith a bread pill ; for Ave felt 
confident that Mr. Frisbee hit him, else Ave should 
have seen the splash of the ball in the Avater, and he 
presented too large a mark to miss, and was too near 
at hand ; but he neA^er quivered, but kept right on as 
if nothing had happened, and this so surprised us 
that we ceased annoying him, and, a short time after- 
Avards, he disappeared, possibly on account of the 
shot ; of course Ave can never know. 


112 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


We never could understand this matter, and it 
was the subject of some discussion. Mr. Cutter 
thought that Mr. Frisbee must have missed, although 
he nor anybody else saw any splash of the bullet in 
the water. Mr. Frisbee, who was a good shot, was 
firmly convinced that he hit him within a foot of his 
blow hole, and I was of the opinion that he hit 
him, but that the powder in the cartridge, which 
was of paper, was damp, and that the ball did not 
have much force, and only entered the blubber, which 
is, of itself, often over four inches thick, and that the 
whole business had no more effect on the huge crea- 
ture than it would to fire No. 10 shot at an albatross 
fifty yards distant. 

It is not by any means uncommon for whales to 
accompany vessels in this manner, or, perhaps, it 
would be nearer the truth to say that there are thou- 
sands of well-authenticated cases of their doing so. 
This was the first I had ever witnessed, but I had 
heard of it before ; and I was a young man, and had 
much to learn and observe. 

A few days after the whale had paid us his visit, 
Mr. Frisbee and myself were sitting on the quarter- 
deck in the evening, talking and enjoying the beau- 
tiful night, when all at once the man on the lookout 
forward, sang out, — 

“ Breakers ahead ! breakers ahead ! ” 

I don’t think I was ever more startled in my life, 
for I knew we were in a part of the ocean where 


WHITE WATER 


113 


there was no known land ; but I did not stop to think 
much about that, but immediately called out, “ All 
hands on deck ! ” and to the man at the wheel, “ Luff ! 
luff ! Meet her, don’t get her aback.” We were run- 
ning free, about a south-east course, with stun’sails 
set on the port side. ‘‘In stud’s’l,” was the next 
order, and all hands turned to with a will to take in 
our flying kites. “ Brace up the yards sharp,” and, 
as the vessel came to the wind, the maintopsail was 
laid to the mast, and the ship hove to. 

I then went forward, and could plainly see white 
water to leeward and off the starboard bow. I then 
rushed below and examined my chart of the South 
Atlantic, but, as I expected, not a sign of any known 
shoals within a thousand miles of where we were. 
What did it mean ? 

All at once it flashed on me that Horsburg, and 
other navigators, have spoken of meeting this white 
water in different parts of the world, and I became 
convinced that we were witnessing the same phenom- 
enon ; but, to take every precaution, I had the quar- 
ter-boat lowered, and ordered Mr. Cutter to take the 
hand-lead, and pull towards the suspicious-looking 
water, to see if he could get any soundings, and, if 
not with the hand twenty- fathoms lead, to try the deep- 
sea lead with one hundred fathoms. 

Mr. Cutter was gone some time, but finally the 
boat was seen emerging from the gloom to leeward. 

On coming on board, Mr. Cutter reported that he 


114 


LOG OF THE jMARYLAND 


could get no soundings with the one-hundred-fathom 
line, so, as soon as the boat was hoisted in, I gave the 
order “to fill away the maintopsail,” and we began 
cautiously to approach the water that looked so 
much as if it must conceal some shoal ; but, no, it 
was simply white water, and nothing else. After we 
had fairly entered it, it seemed, at times, as if we 
were sailing on an ocean of milk, and it was over 
four hours before we ran through it, or dared to 
again set our stun’sails, although the wind was fair. 

It was a sight to be long remembered. After 
about three hours’ sail, it began to lose somewhat of 
its white color, and, at the end of the fourth hour, 
we were all clear of it. 

Nobody has been able to explain this phenomenon; 
but the best authorities agree that it is caused by 
myriads of minute animalculse that at times get 
washed together in such incomputable and immense 
numbers and quantities as to whiten the whole ocean 
with a sort of phosphorescent light in the night- 
time, and to appear as a sort of brownish scum over 
the whole surface in the daytime. I was glad that 
we had seen it, but was anxious and troubled till w'e 
were well out of it. 

A few days after our white-water experience, we 
had quite an argument on the quarter-deck as to the 
voracity of sharks; and, in spite of George Albion’s 
yarn, I maintained that, as a rule, sharks were harm- 
less creatures, and that there were so many species 


DISCUSSION CONCERNING SHARKS 


115 


that all suffered in reputation, on account of the true 
man-eater, or ground shark, which was to be found 
only in harbors and on soundings, and not far out to 
sea, and that those similar to the one Mr. Frisbee had 
caught with the cod-line were perfectly harmless. 

Mr. Cutter, being asked his opinion, was rather 
non-committal ; a mate at sea don’t like to disagree 
with his captain, even in an abstruse argument : so 
he shuffled off all the responsibility possible, by say- 
ing that he had never seen anybody hurt by sharks. 

Now Mr. Frisbee, although not a sailor, was a well- 
informed gentleman, and he said the books were filled 
with authentic accounts of attacks by sharks — fierce, 
bold, and vicious attacks. And I maintained that if 
such ever occurred, which I doubted, it was always 
in harbors in the torrid zone, and askfed him to 
account for the courage with which Sandwich Island- 
ers swam miles out to sea wilh no more fear than we 
would have of being attacked by bears in Massa- 
chusetts. 

I also told both him and Mr. Cutter that. I had 
been shipmate with several persons who had been 
on whaling voyages, and they said that by some 
instinct, — the same that attracts the vulture to the 
bison, but just killed, from distances beyond the 
vision of the human eye, — the sharks always appear 
in herds so soon as the cutting-in commences, and 
that the men often fall overboard from the sides of 
the whale into a perfect swarm of them. But no 


116 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


person ever heard of their taking the least notice of 
any human body, but as paying their whole attention 
to the whale, so much so that the sailors kick them 
in the head with their boots, and slash them with the 
cutting-spades, for they steal quite a quantity of the 
blubber. And it is said that, after being slashed so 
that in some instances their intestines hang out, that 
they will again come forward to the attack, and tear 
out with their sharp teeth huge morsels of the blub- 
ber. Whalers all assert that, at such times at any 
rate, as has been proved, they will not touch a man ; 
but then again, I do not think that they are the 
species that attack man. 

You are probably aware that there are hundi^eds of 
species of sharks, and I suppose that I shall have to 
admit that possibly there may be a very few large 
monsters of some particular species, that will, under 
the provocation of hunger, attack a man. But most 
of the yarns about sharks are all bosh, and a man 
might just as well expect to be hit by lightning in 
the middle of a field, on a sunshiny day, as to be 
tackled by one of them And I am so firmly fixed 
in m}^ belief that there are no dangerous sharks at 
sea, that I would like to have a chance to tackle one 
in the water, as the Kanackers, or Sandwich Island- 
ers, are said to do, and kill them easily every time by 
diving under them, and ripping up their belly with a 
sharp knife. 

Mr. Frisbee still maintained that they were dan- 


JUMP ON A SHARIUS BACK 


117 


gerous creatures to meddle with, and thus our amicable 
argument ended. 

A day or two afterwards, we found ourselves 
becalmed and surrounded by a sea without a ripple. 
These are rather tiresome times to some who do not 
really like the sea; but, under an awning stretched 
above the quarter-deck, Mr. Frisbee and I sat, and 
read and played backgammon, and enjoyed the pure 
sea air. 

All at once somebody sung out, “ Shark right 
alongside, sir I ” And, sure enough, there he was ; a 
fellow possibly nine feet in length, not two feet from 
the vessel’s side, and perhaps four feet under water. 
It flashed upon me that now was my time to prove 
my theory that sharks won’t bite, and are naturally 
•cowardly and timid, so, turning to Mr. Frisbee, I 
said, — 

“Mr. Frisbee, I’m going to jump down from the 
rail on that shark’s back, and you see him scoot.” 

“ Oh, yes. Captain, I think I see you.” 

“No, but I am in earnest,” and I began to disrobe 
then and there. 

“ You don’t mean to say. Captain,” said Mr. Fris- 
bee, in consternation, “that you are going to jump 
on that creature’s back ? ” 

“ Yes, I do ; ” but by this time Mr. Cutter came 
up and begged me not to do it. 

“ But don’t you see I shall never be able to prove 
my theory again in so practical a manner ; there is no 


118 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


possible danger. The moment I strike that shark 
with my feet, he’ll get such a head and back ache 
that you’ll never see him again.” 

Remonstrances were in vain : the Captain of a ship 
is a being that is beyond restraint, as I have ex- 
plained. 

Mr. Cutter, seeing that I was determined, said. 
For God’s sake. Captain, let me make a piece of 
rope fast to you under your arm^jits, so that if the 
shark turns on you, we can haul you up at once.” 

To this I consented, and, being stripped to my 
drawers, I stood on the rail of the Maryland, Avith all 
the anxious crew looking on; and Julius Africanus, 
Avith his black phiz nearly pale Avith anxiety, and 
at a moment when the Maryland Avas at rest, plumb 
I went down onto that shark’s back, and nearly, 
broke my toes off, and that Avas not the worst of it. 
The mate and all hands were so afraid that the 
shark Avould turn upon me, that they commenced 
pulling in on the line, almost before I had struck the 
shark, and the result Avas, that I AA^as hauled ruth- 
lessly up the whole side of the bark nearly to the rail 
before they paused to look at me, and I Avas taken in 
on deck, with several severe scratches on my person, 
that had come in rude contact Avith the sides of the 
ship ; and this is all the injury I received ; but the 
treatment of my person, by being hauled up by my 
too anxious and well-meaning friends, reminded me 
of the fable of the pet bear, Avho dropped a huge 


THE COOK FINDS A GHOST 119 

stone on his sleeping master’s face to kill a fly. As 
for the shark, we never saw him again, ,and if his 
insides felt half as badly as my bruised toes, he could 
not be expected to be in his usual state of health for 
some time. 

Along in the afternoon, after dinner, when we had 
talked the shark adventure over in all its bearings, 
and I had begun to get a little feeling into my toes, 
the cook came to me, with his eyes sticking out, and 
said, — 

“ Captain, dere’s somethin’ wrong in dis yere craft. 
Dere’s Tanner and Caesar in plain sight, sah, on de 
main deck, and dere’s another- dog of de ole boy, 
growling down dere in de cabin, an’ ’tain’t no use. 
Captain, I can’t stay dere no mo’ ; de craft’s under a 
spell su’.” 

“ There, that will do ; don’t talk any more of that 
stuff. What’s the matter ? ” said I, as I started for 
the companion way accompanied by Mr. Frisbee. 

‘‘De Lord only knows,” said the cook, Avho fol- 
lowed timidl}' behind us. And sure enough, when 
we arrived below in the after cabin, by listening we 
could hear sounds as if some persons were convers- 
ing in a low tone in one of the staterooms near by, 
or as if a dog was growling over a bone as the 
cook had said. Once in a while the noise would 
cease and then recommence, and it was impossible to 
locate it. And man is so constituted that even in 
plain broad daylight, both Mr. Frisbee and myself 
began to lose countenance. 


120 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


“ What can it be, Captain ? ” he whispered to me. 

“ I don’t know. I never heard anything like it in 
my life.” 

In the mean while, the cook had retreated to the 
quarter-deck, and I made one supreme effort to regain 
my courage and manhood. 

“ It can be nothing but what we can trace to natu- 
ral causes,” said I to Mr. Frisbee; “but what can it 
be? Where do you place it?” 

“Near the stern,” said he. 

“So do I. Let us go on deck and see if there is 
anything to be seen there;” and we left the cabin, I 
am sorry to say, with quite a hurried step, and I made 
one dash at the after rail, looked overboard, and 
burst out into a fit of laughter, in which I was not 
joined by Mr. Frisbee or the cook, although both of 
them saw what I saw gathered round the rudder, and 
that was, at least, forty or fifty rudder-fish, as they 
are called, resembling very much the tautog, and by 
some called hog-fish, each not over six inches in 
length. 

These little fellows often gather about the rudder 
in calm weather, and hence their name ; they are 
supplied with four white front teeth like the tautog, 
and can nip a barnacle off the bottom of a vessel as 
nicely as you could do it with a pair of pinchers ; 
they are for this reason called also barnacle-fish. The}^ 
have, like other fish that feed upon Crustacea, large 
vents, and ^swallow their food, shells and all. Now 


FISH THAT EMIT SOUNDS 


121 


it had begun to dawn dimly upon Mr. Frisbee and the 
cook that these fish had something to do with the 
growling we had heard in the cabin ; hut just what, 
they did not then understand. So I explained that 
several fish were known to emit sounds under water 
that could be heard long distances ; that, the drum- 
hsh of Broad Sound, South Carolina, and the southern 
coast, made so loud a noise that it could be heard a 
quarter of a mile distant, hence its name ; to be sure, 
they were large fellows, weigliing often over eighty 
pounds, and that they could drum I could vouch for, 
as I had both heard them and caught them off Hilton 
Head, and the moment I looked down upon these 
rudder-fish I remembered that they were said to emit 
at times a similar sound — a sort of grunting or growl- 
ing, and for this reason were called by some hog- 
fish. 

This explanation convinced Mr. Frisbee instantly ; 
but the cook went forward shaking his head in a very 
dubious manner, and far from satisfied. 

“ By the way, Mr. Frisbee, they are said to be capi- 
tal eating, and jou can get a half-dozen with the first 
cast of the grains.” 

And I had scarcely finished before Mr. Frisbee was 
away forward, for the grains came aft with them, 
and plunged them into the thickest of the school, and 
brought up five, whose croaking in the open air and 
when on deck thoroughly convinced him where tlie 
grunting had proceeded from, and even the cook was 


122 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


finally convinced when he heard them croaking on 
deck. 

“ Speckled little debbels, I’ll learn you to skare de 
wole ship crew,” said he, as he took them forward. 

The one dart of Mr. Frisbee scared them away, 
and we got no more ; but that night we had “ de little 
debbels ” served on the cabin-table for supper, and 
by eight bells, the wind having breezed up, we were 
bowling along on our way to far Cathay. 


A LOVELY NIGHT 


123 


CHAPTER IX. 

HIRAM strong’s YARN OF PLUCK BRINGS LUCK. 

A FEW nights after the rudder-fish episode, when 
the cook suspected he had discovered a ghost in the 
after cabin, or, to speak more correctly, had heard 
the voices of several ghosts in unholy confab, Mr. 
Frisbee and myself found ourselves comfortably seated 
on the after house, with a brilliant full moon shining 
down upon us. Such nights were to me paradise on 
earth, or, more properly, paradise on sea. 

Nowhere, in the most sublime terrestrial scenery, 
will the heart go forth in praise and adoration of a 
Divine Creator as on the limitless and lovely ocean. 
Nothing, to my mind, is so sublime as simple air 
and water, aided by myriads of burning, celestial 
lights, possibly each a world in itself, and the moon, 
regent among the lesser lights, throwing a flood of 
radiance upon the trackless waste of waters. 

It was a lovely night, and the sails of the Mary- 
land, shimmering in the moonlight, gave to the vessel 
the appearance of some vast bird winging its way 
through space. Lost in meditation, I was aroused 
by the voice of Mr. Frisbee, saying, — 

‘‘ Captain, is there- any objection to our carrying 


124 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


out the programme of having a yarn, once in a while, 
from one of the crew ? You know how we enjoyed 
the one about Pete and the captain’s child.” 

“No, Mr. Frisbee; I don’t see any objection at all, 
and if you can get one of the hands to come aft and 
give us a real good sea yarn, why I, for one, shall be 
very happy to listen to it.” 

Away went Mr. Frisbee, and soon returned with 
Hiram Strong in his wake, who came upon the quar- 
ter-deck in a respectful mannner, and said, — 

“Captain, Mr. Frisbee tells me that he wants me 
to spin him a yarn, and that you desired me to come 
aft, so that you can hear it also.” 

“Yes, that is all right,” replied I. “I shall be very 
happy to hear you, Hiram, and hope that you have 
got something worth telling.” 

“Well, as to that. Captain, I don’t know; but if a 
real true yarn, of an actual occurrence, will please 
you, I shall be happy to relate what happened on a 
certain voyage that I once made, and which I will 
call “ Pluck brings Luck,” and, in a well-modulated 
voice, Hiram Strong, the only real American ^sailor 
on board, and *a fine specimen, gave us the following 
yarn, in good clean English, as if he had been a 
schoolmaster instead of a sailor : — 

“ ‘ Hard up ! Hard up. Put the wheel chock over ! 
Let go the tops’l halliards fore and aft ! Steady, as 
you go, my man ! Keep her right before it ; don’t let 
her broach to ! Call all hands, Mr. Cottle, to shorten 
sail.’ 


SIGNS OF A STORM 


125 


“ Such were the commands given by Captain Man- 
del of the clipper ship Sea Serpent, bound from New 
York to San Francisco, in September, 1854, at about 
seven bells in the first night watch, the ship being 
about two hundred and fifty miles from the Rio de la 
Plata, with her head to the south’ard and east’ard. 

“ Your humble servant at the wheel struggled hard 
to obey the imperative commands of the captain, 
given in a strong, clear voice and forcible manner, 
denoting plenty of energy, pluck, and presence of 
mind, and not one atom of fear. 

“ ‘ Steady, my man, steady ! don’t let her yaw. 
Give her the wheel quickly,’ said the captain. 

“ ‘ Ay, ay, sir,’ replied I, as I tried to keep the ship 
before the howling tempest. 

“ Mr. Cottle was a good first officer, but one who was 
always rather tardy in making up his own mind, and 
with considerable self-esteem, and great belief in his 
own ability to manage the ship, in all circumstances, 
without the aid of the captain. 

“ In the instance I am relating, Mr. Cottle had 
thought best not to notice very much the premonitory 
signs which nature had been throwing out to him 
since four bells. He walked the weather side of the 
deck without looking out very much for anything. 

“We were running upon the port tack, with the 
yards considerably checked in, and the wind on the 
quarter well abaft, light, but quite steady. 

“We might have been making six knots. The 


126 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


symptoms of change that Mr. Cottle should have 
noticed were taking place far down to leeward., on 
the land side, and escaped his attention ; and, although 
I did not know what was coming, I felt the vessel 
once in a while pitch, or, rather, roll over to wind- 
ward, as if struck on the starboard side by a different 
swell than the one on our quarter. 

“ If Mr. Cottle had gone over to the leeward side 
of the quarter-deck, at about six bells, we need never 
to have been caught as- we were. To be sure, it was 
not as bad as it might be, for, about ten minutes 
before the tornado struck, Mr. Cottle, finding the 
wind veering astern, and light and variable, tending 
towards the land, had the yards braced round, and 
slightly forward on the starboard tack. 

‘‘ Upon finding himself on the starboard side, now 
become the weather side, Mr. Cottle seemed to at 
once wake up to the state of affairs, and did not seem 
to like them. He started into the cabin to call the 
captain, and while he was below I heard the wind 
coming, and darkness shut down like a pall round 
about me. My ears told me that the squall would 
strike us about amidships, if not further ahead ; and, 
without orders even, I commenced to move my wheel 
up, to pay her off a little. And when the wind was 
just about to strike us, it was at that moment that I 
heard, in stentorian tones, the words : ‘ Hard up ! 
Hard up ! Put the wheel chock over. Let go the 
tops’l halliards fore and aft ! ’ 


STRUCK BY A TORNADO 


127 


“ It was the captain, who had that moment 
emerged from the companionway, followed by the 
mate. 

“ It seemed afterwards that the captain — as some 
captains will, even in their sleep — had felt the 
change in the^ swell, and also the change of course of 
the vessel, and was about coming on deck when the 
mate went down to call him. In one instant, as he 
put his head out of the companionway, he saw at a 
glance our danger and the neglect of the mate. 

“ Over went the wheel, and dash came the rain, 
s^jray, and thunder and lightning around us. The 
starboard watch poured out on deck, but only in time 
to see the main-t’-gall’nt-mast go over the side, the 
mains ’1 blown out of the bolt-ropes, the fores’l split 
from top to bottom, the fore-t’-gallant-s’l blown into 
shreds, with the mizzen in the same shape, and miz- 
zen r’yal mast and sail — no where. 

“ The command to let go the halliards had, with the 
r>utting-up of the helm, undoubtedly saved the ship. 

“ Never a word did Captain Mandel say to Mr. 
Cottle that night, or during the continuance of the 
hurricane, but the next day he came on deck from 
the captain’s private stateroom, looking very serious 
and dejected. 

‘‘All night we worked at the vessel to prevent 
further disaster, and to repair the injuries already 
received. After the three topsails had been close 
reefed, and the fore and mizzen stowed and furled. 


128 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


and all the lighter canvas secured to the yards, the 
main spencer and fore-t’p-mast stay-sail were set, and 
the ship was brought carefully to the wind, and hove 
to on the starboard tack. 

“ The ship’s headway being thus practically stopped, 
and as she rode the waves quite Avell, the weather 
having settled into a steady gale, we had time to 
get things to rights, and to look about us. The taunt 
and gallant Sea Serpent looked pretty shabby in the 
morning light, which began to shine upon us at 
about two bells. The gale still held on, and the ship 
seemed to ride quite easily, whilst, as we neared eight 
bells (8 A.M.), the wind was evidently decreasing, 
and the sea going down, although still running very 
high, and often coming in on deck over the main 
chains. 

“ At about three bells in the afternoon, as some of 
the crew were aloft at the main-t’p-m ash head, clear- 
ing away the stump of the t’-gaH’nt-mast, some one 
cried out, ‘ Sail ho ! Sail ho ! ’ 

“ ‘ Where away ? ’ hailed the captain. 

“ ‘ Broad off the beam to leeward, sir,’ replied the 
sailor. 

“ ‘ What do you make her out to be ? ’ 

“ ‘ A vessel dismasted and hove to on the same 
tack as we, sir.’ 'Adding, ‘ We should have seen her 
afore if the cloud had lifted ; she can’t be more nor 
two mile off, sir.’ 

“ ‘ Ay, ay ; I see her plainly from the deck,’ said 
the captain. 


LA BELLE BLANCHE IN DISTRESS 129 

“ We very soon made out that she was in distress, 
and had only left standing the mizzen-m’st and fore- 
m’st, with the main-m’st snapped short off about ten 
feet above the deck. She was kept to the wind and 
hove to by means of the spanker, balance reefed, and 
the fore-stays’l. 

“As the sea was going down every moment, 
although still running quite high, and the wind 
decreasing, the captain gave the order to square in 
the main-t’p-sail, and we commenced to run down 
rapidly towards the stranger. We passed under her 
stern, and hauled up to the wind to leeward of her, 
within hailing distance, and again hove to. 

“ In rounding her stern we read her name dis- 
tinctly, La Belle Blanche, Bordeaux. And, as 
her signal of distress was a French flag, hoisted at 
half-peak at the spanker, we knew by this and her 
name that she must be French. She was bark- 
rigged, and seemed to be settling in the water fast. 

“We were surprised not to see any crew forward, 
but only a few persons aft upon the quarter-deck, 
crowded together, and making us signs of both lamen- 
tation and joy, as we surged by them. Among the 
group could be discerned the form of an evidently 
young and graceful woman, who clung to the arm of 
a middle-aged gentleman, who apparently was the 
captain. There might possibly have been six persons 
in the group. 

“ I should have told you that in the tornado we 


130 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


had lost both our quarter- boats, and the long-boat 
had been badly stove by something that had fallen 
upon it from aloft during the gale, where it lay 
keel up, lashed upon the forward house. La Belle 
Blanche evidently had no boats left. What was to 
be done? 

“ By chance, in the equality of sail that each vessel 
had set, and for other reasons unknown to me, but 
very apparent, the vessels preserved very equally 
their relative distance from each other ; but, as every 
seaman knows, they could not be expected to do so 
long, and whatever was to be attempted for the 
relief of the distressed vessel must evidently be done 
quickly, if at all, as she was apparently settling fast. 

“ Our captain, when he had first filled away to 
bear down upon La Belle Blanche, had ordered Mr. 
Cottle to take the carpenter and some of the men, 
and repair as quickly as possible, temporarily, the 
hole in the bottom of the long boat, and to unlash, 
right, and get her ready for launching. 

“ A glance of the captain’s eye told him that it 
would be at least half an hour before the boat would 
be ready, and it seemed to us all that long before 
that time the Frencli vessel must founder. The sea 
and wind, however, were decreasing every minute, 
and the weather fast becoming settled and pleasant. 

“ To our amazement, just as everybody had given 
up in despair of being able to save those on the 
wreck of the French bark, our captain, who had gone 


SWIMMIKG TO SAVE A LIFE 


131 


below for a moment unperceived, appeared again on 
deck, dressed in some loose East-India silk pajamas, 
and quietly calling Mr. Cottle away from the boat, 
replacing him with the second mate, spoke as 
follows : — 

“ ‘ Mr. Cottle, it shall never be said that a Yankee 
captain suffered a woman to drown, in plain sight, in 
broad daylight, without an effort to save her. I am 
going to swim aboard of that vessel if possible, and 
if I cannot save all, I will try and save one. To give 
me a chance of success, you must follow intelligently 
and correctly all my instructions. Get up the deep- 
sea lead-line, and bring it on deck. If you need 
more line, lengthen it with some marlin or spun-yarn. 
I will swim to the French vessel with this. After I 
have arrived, bend on the two life-preservers that we 
have, and pay out to me, and we will draw them to 
the French vessel, if I succeed. Continue all the 
while to get the boat launched, if possible. If any- 
thing happens to me, you are in command.’ 

“ Quietly fastening the lead-line about his waist. 
Captain Mandel slipped into the mizzen chains, and 
from thence overboard, the vessels being, at the time, 
possibly some two hundred and fifty yards apart. 

“ The party upon the wreck had been watching 
with the greatest interest all these preparations ; and, 
as the captain struck out for them, commenced to 
cheer and encourage him. It seemed an eternit}’ 
before Captain Mandel successfully reached the side 
of La Belle Blanche. 


182 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“We saw them jump into the mizzen chains with 
ropes to assist him up the side. We watched him 
spring upon the deck, and, without a moment lost in 
salutation or words, he signalled for us to bend on, 
and cast over the two life-preservers which we had 
ready for that purpose. As soon as they were over 
our side. Captain Mandel and the Frenchmen com- 
menced pulling them towards the French ship, where 
they soon floated alongside. Then, for the first time, 
we could see that Captain Mandel addressed himself 
to the French captain, evidently offering to save at 
least the lady. 

“ After a moment of hesitation, for there was no 
time to lose, the French captain pressed the woman 
violently to his heart, and kissed her passionately, 
while she clung to him in agony and tears. 

“ While this was going on. Captain Mandel was 
quietly lashing one of the life-preservers to the young 
lady, and soon had it nicely fastened ; and, knowing 
that there was not a moment to lose, he lifted her 
from her protector’s arms, and gently, but quickly, 
with the aid of others, lowered her into the water;' 
and taking the other life-preserver for himself, and 
passing one arm round his fair companion to support 
her, they were drawn rapidly to the side of the Sea 
Serpent, where eager hands and pendent ropes soon 
rescued them. 

“ In the mean while the Sea Serpent had forged 
ahead, as was foreseen, and Mr. Cottle had no more 



See page 132 




LA BELLE BLANCHE FOUNDERS 


133 


line to pay out, and it had to bo cast off. But the 
launching of the long boat had been going on all this 
time, and scarcely had the line of connection between 
the vessels been severed, than the long boat was in 
the water and manned. The way we pulled for 
the French bark was a sight to behold, and every 
sailor’s teeth were clinched, and muscles strained for 
the struggle ; for, as we pulled towards the wreck, 
we could see looking down upon us from our own 
quarter-deck, the beautiful but fixed face of the 
young lady, whom everybody knew by this time was 
the daughter of the French captain whom we were 
now trying to also save. 

“ ‘ Pull, every man of you ! ’ shouted the captain, 
for he was again with us, and held the tiller with a 
firm hand. 

“ As we advanced and occasionally glanced over 
our shoulders towards the fated vessel, it seemed as 
if she must go down before we could reach her. 
How we did pull, and how Captain Mandel cheered 
us on ! Finally, we touched her side. The men 
jumped in from the chains, followed by the French 
captain, who paused to give one last sad look to his 
beautiful bark, although in the throes of death. 
Scarcely had the words ‘ Stern all ’ been spoken by 
Captain Mandel, and the long boat forced astern to a 
short distance from the bark, than, like a thing of 
life, some huge leviathan of the ocean, the vessel 
rolled from side to side, plunged forward so as to 


134 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


raise her copper in plain sight astern, and then, with 
an almost perpendicular rising of the bows and fore- 
foot, sunk grandly down into the abyss of waters. 

‘‘ The French captain’s story, as we afterwards heard 
it repeated, was briefly this : The beautiful young 
lady whom our captain had saved was his only 
daughter, and her name was Blanche. She was about 
nineteen years of age, and the following description 
of her, though drawn by an able seaman, your humble 
servant, is nevertheless true. A more beautiful form 
no one ever looked upon. Her figure was perfection, 
her feet and hands beyond compare. She was a pure 
brunette, with the most bewitching dark eyes and 
hair, with pearly teeth, and tiny ears. She had evi- 
dently creole blood in her veins, but probably quite 
removed. She was rather slight, and far from being 
matured or developed, but rather in the very spring- 
time of her budding loveliness. La Belle Blanche 
was of course named after Mademoiselle, and Captain 
La Tour was the principal owner and commander of 
her. She had been caught in the same tornado as 
ourselves, but had fared worse. 

“ It seems that the mainmast must have been 
sprung without any one knowing it, or even suspect- 
ing it; for after having withstood the worst of the 
hurricane, hands were sent aloft to reef the main- 
t’p-sail, when yard, mast, and men went over the side, 
leaving only the captain, first officer, cook, steward, 
two seamen, and one boy, survivors upon the deck. 


A GALLANT CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER 135 


The next morning they discovered that the vessel 
was leaking badly and settling fast. The rest is 
known ; they descried us as we them, and they were 
rescued as has been just told you. 

“ Captain La Tour stated that he was on a voy- 
age from Havre to San Francisco, and that his vessel 
was loaded with all kinds of merchandise for that 
port, including a vast variety of wines and liquors, all 
of which were fully insured. 

“It should be stated here that Captain La Tour 
spoke English quite well, but Mademoiselle Blanche 
never a word. 

“Captain La Tour. was a widower, having buried 
his wife some years ago, and his beautiful daughter 
had been his companion for several voyages, and had 
grown up under the jealous but loving eye of her 
own father, amidst the most beautiful scenery of the 
world — the ever-changing ocean, and the cloud pic- 
tures in the blue vault above. I will pass over the con- 
gratulations which I am sure must liave passed be- 
tween the two captains on their deliverance, from 
imminent death, and come to within a week’s sail of 
San Francisco. 

The night was very cloudy and squally, when I 
was at the wheel at about two bells (9 p.m.), with 
the captain standing near me, and the rain coming- 
faster and faster. 

“ The deck was deserted, and he seemed utterly 
alone, when I saw a dark figure emerge from the 


136 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


companionway and move cautiously toward him. I 
saw this figure kneel softly at his feet, and, grasping 
his hand, kiss it fondly. All this I could see faintly 
from the glimmer of the binnacle-light. At the 
touch Captain Mandel turned, and after one moment’s 
hesitation, grasped the kneeling form and raised it 
to his breast, and, pressing kiss after kiss upon its 
lips, said in the language of the sunny south, ‘ Je 
t'aime^^ to which came the soft reply, blown to my 
ears by the increasing blast, ^Je t"* adore.'' 

“I saw nor heard no more, for the Sea Serpent 
needed all my attention ; but I had only seen what I 
knew must happen, when long ago I had seen our 
handsome young captain learning French phrases, and 
drinking in large draughts of V amour from the flash- 
ing eyes of La belle Blanche. 

“We arrived safely in ’Frisco, and, as I had only 
worked my way out as a sailor to be able to go to the 
mines, I left the ship. 

“ After three months at the mines I had occasion 
to visit ’Frisco, where I heard from a reliable source 
that Captain Mandel had been married to Mademoi- 
selle La Tour, and they were at that time living near 
the city upon a beautiful ranche which was to be pur- 
chased with the united means of Captain Mandel, and 
Captain La Tour who had written to France for the 
remittance of all his property, and the insurance 
money on his vessel. I floated round in ’Frisco and 
the mines for a year or two with tlie usual luck, — 


EDUCAllON IN CHINA 


137 


plenty of money, and finally not a red, — and here I 
am again, where I suppose I was born to live my life 
out, on old ocean ; ” and, as he said this, Hiram Strong 
turned abruptly round and walked forward. 

“Well, Captain, what do you think of that for a 
yarn ? ” said Mr. Frisbee, breaking the silence ; “ was 
it not a good one ? ” 

“ Yes,” replied I ; “ and that Strong told it in ship- 
shape. 

“ Did he not ? What a strange race sailors are ! 
Standing here in the moonlight, and softened by its 
rays, it was hard to conceive that he was only a fore- 
castle hand while listening to his manly voice and 
good English. He must have a history of his own, if 
one could but get at it ; at any rate, he showed signs 
of that great educator of all Americans, the com- 
mon school, and I doubt if any nation gives such 
universal and useful education to the masses as we 
do. China is the only nation where education for all 
is compulsatory, so I am told. It is a pity that it is 
not better directed ; but, such as it is, every Chinaman 
must know how to read and write, which is more 
than can be said of any other nation.” 

“Yes, Mr. Frisbee, it is too true, that we too often 
think that our own country is the only one in the 
world, and that we have all the information of the 
world, and that all others are inferior to us. It is a 
sad way to commence life’s journey ; for never yet in 
my life have I visited strange countries or seen 


138 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


strange men without being able to learn something 
that I did not before know, and I think it a mistake 
to despise any nation or people or their manners ; in 
many instances ours seem just as silly to them as 
theirs do to us, and often their customs that at first 
appear strange we find have a solid reason for their 
existence, if we search for it.” 

“ Well, I think that I have found a bonanza for 
pleasant evenings,” said Mr. Frisbee, “ and, with your 
permission, I shall make the most of it. I’m going to 
have a yarn from all of you, yourself included, Cap- 
tain, before the voyage is up.” 

“ All right, Mr. Frisbee, I’ll be on hand when it’s 
my turn,” and, bidding me good-night, Mr. Frisbee 
went below to turn in. 


VISIT THE SHIP OLIVER PUTNAM 


139 


CHAPTER X. 

VISIT THE SHIP OLIVER PUTNAM. — STRANGE SURPRISE 
FOR MR. FRISBEE, WHO FINDS AN OLD FRIEND IN 
THE CAPTAIN, AND A PACKAGE ON BOARD ADDRESSED 
TO HIMSELF. — CARPENTER MAKES A WINDMILL AND 

TURNING-LATHE. DISTIL SALT WATER, AND OBTAIN 

FRESH. OBTAIN GOOD COLD WATER BY A PECULIAR 

PROCESS.- DIVING FOR PLATES. — EXCITING ADVEN- 

TURE WITH A MAD DOG. 

What in the world can be more beautiful than 
a sunrise at sea ! And not only is it beautiful to the 
mental perceptions, but the invigorating air and 
the ozone of the ocean is breathed in by the nostrils 
with rapture. The purest air on this globe is proba- 
bly that to be found in mid-ocean.* Then, if you 
desire to feel still better than you do by merely 
existing in such an atmosphere, why, grasp one of the 
liickory brooms, and assist the watch in washing 
down deck. Patter around in bare*feet, and have the 
sea-water dashed about your legs in bucketfuls ; oi*, 
if you are the captain, as in my case, dash the water 
about some one’s else legs, and spill it on your own. 
And, at about half-past six, when you are ravenous 
as a shark, have the steward bring you a mug of hot, 


140 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


black coffee and a hard-tack, on the quarter-deck, 
where you can sit down on the house and devour it, 
and watch the blazing magnificence of the refulgent 
sun, now well advanced on its journey towards the 
zenith. And then, after you have finished your hard- 
tack, down below to undress, and out through the 
forward cabin, down into the half-hogshead of pure 
sea-water, just filled from the limitless supply along- 
side ; thence, to a rub-down in your stateroom, and 
then on deck, in time to take a few turns before the 
welcome sound of eight bells and breakfast salute 
your ear, to which you descend with the appetite of 
an ogre. 

The air of the sea is so healthful, exhilarating, and 
beneficial, that sicknes is, as a rule, unknown. Some- 
times the crew suffer from the germs of disease 
brought on board when they ship on the voyage ; but 
it is amazing to see how soon enervated, dissipated 
seamen regain their health and strength under the 
healthful influences of pure ocean air. 

It was on one of these glorious mornings, and after 
our daily bath and breakfast, that the monotony of 
the forenoon was broken by the cry of “ Sail ho ! 
Sail ho ! ” And, sure enough, there she was, a full- 
rigged ship, at least eight miles away to the south- 
ward and eastward. 

The wind was dying away fast; and I told Mr. 
Frisbee that probably it would be calm by noon, and 
that we would not then be many miles apart, and 


MR. FRISBEE MEETS A FRIEND 


141 


if the weather permitted we would make the stranger 
a visit. And, sure enough, my predictions came true ; 
for at 11.30 the sea was as smooth as a mill-pond, and 
the stranger, showing American colors, lay not a mile 
distant, broad off on our port bow. 

The boat was manned ; and Mr. Frisbee and myself 
started to do a little “ gamming,” as visiting vessels 
is called by whalers. We soon arrived alongside, and 
were politely received on the quarter-deck by Captain 
Ammi Smith of the Oliver Putnam, a large eighteen- 
hundred-ton ship, eighty days out from Calcutta, and 
bound for Boston. 

And now comes the most surprising part of this 
true adventure. As I stepped one Siide to introduce 
my passenger, Mr. Frisbee, to Captain Smith, I was 
prevented by the latter saying, “ Why, Frisbee, where 
in the world did you come from ? ” 

“ Well, Captain Smith, this is a meeting worth 
remembering,” replied Mr. Frisbee, and they imme- 
diately entered into an animated conversation. 

The fact was, that Mr. Frisbee’s firm had loaded 
the Oliver Putnam, on the outward voyage, and Mr. 
Frisbee had been the clerk on the dock throughout it 
all, and was a great favorite with Captain Smith, 
whose surprise at meeting him in mid-ocean was 
unbounded; and he listened Avith interest to all the 
explanations made, and Avished us every success in 
our adventure and neAV business. 

“ By the Avay,” said Captain Smith, “ this meeting 


142 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


is doomed to be even more peculiar and interesting 
yet. It is funny and singular enough to meet in 
mid-ocean the person who put the cargo into your 
ship on the outward voyage ; but what do you say 
to my handing you a package, addressed to you from 
your cousin in Bombay, Mr. Stearns, of Stearns, 
Hobart, & Co., who loaded us for Boston? Well, I 
can do it.” And Captain Smith made a plunge into 
the cabin, and soon returned with a package of con- 
siderable size, addressed to Mr. Frisbee in Boston, 
which he delivered into his own hands, in the middle 
of the South Atlantic Ocean. 

“ It’s a small world, anyway,” said Captain Smith, 
philosophically. 

“ Why,” continued he, “ I remember once meeting 
a Dr. Hall in the narrow streets of Hoiig-Kong, with 
whom I commenced that ridiculous see-saw, trying to 
get by, till I bethought myself that the only way, in 
such a case, was to stand still and let the other pass, 
which he did, after a pleasant word or two about our 
getting in each other’s way. And, blast my tarry 
top-lights, if I didn’t dance just the same jig, with 
just the same man, in front of the Boston Museum, 
in Boston, thirteen years afterwards ; and, as we 
looked up and recognized each other and shook 
hands, I said then, ‘ This is a mighty small globe, 
doctor, when you and I can’t get round it without 
stopping up the thoroughfares by butting against each 
other ; ’ and how he did laugh I ” 


THE CARPENTER’S INVENTION 


143 


From the quarter-deck of the Oliver Putnam we 
looked down upon the ocean as if from the main- 
top of the diminutive Maryland, and it seemed to us 
as if the vessel’s deck we trod must be the largest in 
the world, so great was the contrast in spars and deck- 
room. Captain Smith insisted upon our remaining 
to dinner, and afterwards we passed a very entertain- 
ing hour of mutual intercourse, and then shoved off 
for the Maryland, and towards evening the breeze 
sprang up, and we soon lost sight of our neighbor, 
each of us going in opposite directions — they to 
home and friends, and we to the far distant East. 

It was about this time in our voyage that the mate 
discovered he needed some small round pieces of 
wood to fit on top of the backstay ends to keep the 
rain out, of the exact shape and size of a wooden 
plug for the mouth of a tin pint milk-can ; and he 
set some of the crew at work whittling them out; but 
they made slow progress, and the plugs were not at 
all circular or regular. The carpenter watched this 
operation for some time, till the bungling work ex- 
cited his inventive genius, and he went to the mate 
and said, “ If you’ll let me undertake that job. I’ll 
turn you out caps that shall be perfect in form.” 

“ Why, how will you do it any different than the 
men?” asked Mr. Cutter; “we have no turning- 
lathe on board, and if we had we have no power to 
turn it.” 

“ If you’ll give me the job. I’ll not only find a 
lathe, but the power to turn it.” 


144 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“Yes, jackass-power,” retorted the mate; “one of 
the crew to turn a crank all day.” 

“No, sir; not one of the men need touch it; it 
shall run itself,” said the carpenter. 

“ Well, go ahead,” said the mate, good-naturedly, 
“ for I believe you can beat the old scratch in inven- 
tions.” 

“Not only shall the power that I will provide turn 
a lathe, but it shall turn that grindstone also, that 
you are continually using to sharpen scrapers, knives, 
and marline-spikes upon,” pointing to the heavy 
grindstone in its frame in front of his door in the 
forward house. 

“Well, go ahead, carpenter; but don’t blow us all 
up, or harness in them dogs as extras.” 

“ I won’t touch the dogs.” 

“Well, then, how can you get power out of noth- 
ing, I’d like to know ? ” 

“ May I take the job ? ” 

“Yes,” replied the mate; “but if you cut up too 
much tomfoolery, I shall have to stop you or report 
to the Captain.” 

“Well, to prevent all mistakes. I’ll get the Cap- 
tain’s consent also,” said the carpenter. 

“ All right,” said the mate ; and so they parted. 

The carpenter obtained my permission, and to work 
he went. He got down into the after hatch and 
pulled out some old spruce boards ; and of these 
he constructed the four arms of a windmill, each about 


THE INVENTION WORKS 


145 


two feet in length, and had one of the crew make 
him four sails, out of old spare canvas to spread 
upon them. He then arranged a drum made out of a 
spare lignum-vitse dead-head block, and fitted that. 
After the windmill and drum were completed, he 
arranged, with a series of chocks and braces, to set it 
up on the rail just at the break of the poop, so that it 
would work whenever the vessel was close hauled on 
a wind. When the wind was free, or abaft the beam, 
it would not of course revolve. From the drum he 
led a canvas endless band, down on to the main deck 
to another drum that he had set up on a temporary 
table, on which he had erected, by means of spare bits 
of iron and wooden braces, the necessary spindle to 
place the blocks upon to turn out caps. When he 
had things all ready, he had but a few days to wait 
before the wind was enough forward of the beam 
for him to try his invention. 

Amid the sly winks of the crew, who had gathered 
aft to see the thing, and the guying from the quarter- 
deck, he, with the assistance of two of the sailors, put 
his machine in order ; put on the belt, and away it 
went ; and the only revenge that the carpenter took 
was to shrug his shoulders in an inimitable way, and 
address himself to the crew in seeming explanation 
of his invention, in a gibberish that he made to sound 
like French, but which was perfectly meaningless, till 
he had the whole ship’s crew in a roar, quarter-deck 
included. Keeping up his gestures and gibberish, he 


146 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


took up one of the rough blocks, held it up to their 
view, pretended to swallow it, brought it out again 
under his left arm, placed it in position on the lathe, 
set on the belt, covered himself with a flight of minute 
shavings, threw off the belt, and, stepping to the 
break of the poop, handed me with mock ceremony, 
with hat in hand, a perfectly circular and smoothly 
finished cap, or bung ; and then returned to his lathe 
to make more. Suffice it to sa}^ that during the voy- 
age that windmill was used to lay up fish-lines and 
spun-yarn, run the grindstone, and turn out differ- 
ent articles, and became one of the indispensable 
things that we did not dream of doing without. 

Having been so successful with the windmill, I had 
a consultation with the carpenter, to see if we could 
not together get up some plan of distilling water. 
We were not short of that necessary article, having 
refilled our casks on many occasions in the drenching 
equatorial shoAvers ; but to see if there Avas not some 
common-sense Avay of procuring water at sea, in case 
of necessity, by distillation and by means of instru- 
ments that could readily be made on shipboard and 
at sea. We had quite a long talk over the matter, 
and I proposed the plan, which the carpenter easily 
carried out. 

He took one of the cook’s “ coppers,” so called, a 
large iron pot, holding ten or tAvelve gallons, in 
which the meat for the men is boiled, and fitted a 
Avooden cover to it Avith a small iron pipe leading 


MAKING FRESH WATER 


147 


through its centre. He filled this copper with ten 
gallons of sea-water, and attached a canvas hose of 
small diameter, that was almost water-proof of itself, 
to the pipe leading tlirough the top of the cover on 
the copper. This canvas hose led out of the cook’s 
galley upon deck, and was there joined to the rubber 
hose of the ship’s hand-pump, some forty feet in 
length. This was coiled down, in a section of one 
end of a hogshead, not over six inches high, and 
covered with sea-water, with the end of the hose 
leading out over the side. 

A good fire was started in the galley-stove. The 
generated steam, finding no outlet except through 
the pipe in the cover, and thence into the canvas 
hose, and thence into the submerged rubber hose 
coiled in the bottom of the hogshead, appeared 
at the other end, where it dribbled into a pan, as 
good fresh water. All we had to do was once in a 
while to renew the salt-water in the hogshead, as it 
became warmed from the steam, so as to aid conden- 
sation. 

Having enjoyed our plaything, in the construction 
of which Mr. Frisbee was both interested and 
delighted, we put it one side, feeling sure that we 
should never die of thirst on board of the Maryland 
so long as there was fuel enough to boil sea-water. 

Having successfully made fresh water, we also 
wished to cool it ; for, possibly, there, is nothing on 
this earth so grateful to the human palate as a 


148 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


draught of cold water, partaken of in the heated 
atmosphere of the torrid zone. Mr. Frisbee and 
myself were both aware that if we had the necessary 
chemical salts and ether, we could cool our water, 
or even make ice; but we tried to think of some 
practical way. 

For a long time the only thing that I could think 
of, and which has been in use in hot climates for ages, 
was the hanging-up of a porous jar, commonly called 
a “ monkey ” in India, filled with water, in some 
place where there was a draught, and from time to time 
wetting the outside with water. This is sometimes 
done in vessels even, that have caught the idea from 
the natives of India ; and, in many cases, a monkey 
is hung up in the cabin in the shade, but near an 
open door, so that the wind may blow upon it. 

Finally, an idea struck me which, if not absolutely 
practical in all weathers, was successful in giving us 
a glass of real good cold water on several occasions. 
I remembered reading somewhere that H. M. S. Chal- 
lenger, in her deep-sea soundings, found the tempera- 
ture of water at the bottom of the ocean 34° or 35° 
Fahrenheit; i.e., very nearly at the freezing-point of 
fresh water; and with scarcely a variation between 
Sombero in the West Indies and Teneriffe on the 
coast of Africa. And at the equator the temperature 
was even lower, being 32° Fahrenheit, or the freezing- 
point for fresh water, salt water congealing at about 
28° Fahrenheit. 


SOUNDING FOR COOL WATER 


149 


With this information, I determined, on the first 
calm day, to make an experiment. We had to wait 
some time for this, but finally we ran into a calm ; 
and, meanwhile, I got one of the strong glass ginger- 
ale bottles, a few of which were on board, and 
wrapped it round with flannel ready for the trial. I 
filled this bottle with water, and, attaching it to the 
deep-sea lead, weighing perhaps thirty pounds, let it 
down over the side in search of the cold water that 
I knew was to be found, if I could get the bottle 
down deep enough, and get it up fast enough, before 
the warm water near the surface demoralized it ; and 
it was for the purpose of keeping it cool, and from 
becoming heated when once cool, that I had wrapped 
it in thick flannel cloth. 

After the one hundred fathoms of the lead-line had 
run out, I attached some hundred feet of marline, 
and let that run out; and, as the lead began to have 
less and less weight, on account of the density of the 
water that it had reached, I tied common twine onto 
that and let that run out. After we had suffered the 
bottle to soak for some fifteen minutes, we com- 
menced hauling in ; and, when the bottle came to the 
surface, we found the cork forced in and the con- 
tents displaced, and filled with sea-water ; but the out- 
side of the bottle was quite cool, and enticed us to try 
again. This time I took care that there should not be 
any air confined between the bottom of the stopple 
and the water within; for it was this that caused 
the previous shipwreck. 


150 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


After we had run out possibly four hundred fathoms, 
or twenty-four hundred feet of line, we commenced 
hauling in, and had the satisfaction of bringing to the 
surface a glass of water that tasted like nectar in the 
temperature in which we were existing, which marked 
96° in the shade in the cabin, and with tlie pitch 
exuding from the seams on deck. The work to 
obtain this draught was quite a serious one, but we 
were fully repaid; and, after emptying the bottle, 
tied on two others, which we left hanging down into 
the ocean till near nightfall, and when the breeze 
was springing up, drew them up filled with nectar fit 
for the gods. 

Of course we did not go deep enough to cool the 
water to anywhere near the freezing-point; but it 
was so much cooler than the putrid hot contents of 
the casks, that I doubt if I ever shall again taste so 
sweet a draught. 

During the time that this calm lasted, we had some 
other sport that rather disconcerted Julius Africanus, 
who was not pleased at seeing his cabin depleted of 
its crockery ware. The pastime consisted of throw- 
ing plates and saucers into the air, and then diving 
for them from the rail of the vessel and securing 
them. I was quite successful at this, diving being 
one of my accomplishments ; but truth compels me to 
admit that several of the plates and saucers went to 
the bottom to grace the table of Davy Jones’s locker, 
in spite of the attempts on the part of Mr. Frisbee 


C^SAR THROWN OVERBOARD 


151 


and myself to arrest them in their downward course. 
After one of the^e unlucky attempts, the cook, being 
no longer able to keep silence, observed, “ Good gra- 
cious, Captain Frisbee ! dere ain’t no crockery shop 
in dis yere region, sah, and by and by, if you don’t 
take care, sah, you’ll have to set round in de cabin 
and all eat out of one dish. Lord sakes ! dere goes 
anoder saucer su’. Massa Frisbee neber cotch ’em, 
sink too quick. Dere, Captain, what 1 tole ye. Dis 
yere’s distructioning is too much for me,” and off he 
went to his galley in high dudgeon ; but we contin- 
ued our fun in spite of his protest, and made many 
successful attempts as well as a few failures. 

Thursday, May 27, in latitude 7° 54' S., and longi- 
tude 38'’ 12' W., a quite serious occurrence took place ; 
our favorite dog and pet, Caesar, had a violent fit, 
running about the deck, and then falling down and 
biting his own tongue so that blood streamed from 
his mouth. He frightened nearly all the crew into 
the rigging; but feeling that something must be 
done for him, and that he was probably suffering from 
the intense heat, I, at the risk of being bitten by him 
in his frenzy, caught hold of the skin of his back, and 
threw him overboard to cool him off. The vessel 
was going at the time about six knots through the 
water ; but it was not my intention to desert him, but 
only to preserve him. I therefore had the bark 
brought to the wind, and the quarter-boat lowered, 
and, taking Jacob Dantze and Michael Flynn with 


152 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


me to row the boat, pulled after him. It was one 
of those peculiar sea days when no one knows what 
the weather vnll be, and I had scarcely come up to 
Csesar, who was quite a distance from the bark, than 
it began to shut in and commence to rain. 

Poor Csesar was howling and snapping, but swim- 
ming quite well. I dragged him into the boat, think- 
ing that he must be better; but after I got him in, he 
acted so strangely and snapped so viciously that I 
was compelled to again throw him overboard, and, let- 
ting him swim a short time, he seemed again better, 
and I again took him into the boat. In the mean 
while, the rain squall had increased in force, and 
came upon us with a rush ; the dog became unman- 
ageable, and we made out to lash Ins jaws together 
and alsp his legs. By this time it was blowing almost 
a hurricane, and raining in torrents. I lay down in 
the bottom of the boat on Caesar’s body Avith the fore- 
finger of each hand in his lips to control his head, 
and the two sailors frightened almost to death, at my 
command, tried to keep the boat head on to the 
blast, with the oars. The rain was so terrific that 
the bottom of the boat was all afloat, and thus Ave 
struggled for perhaps some fifteen minutes, Avith 
danger of being sAvamped and a crazy dog Avhining, 
howling, bleeding, and struggling to escape. 

Finally the squall passed as suddenly as it had 
arisen, and far aAvay loomed up the Maryland ; for it 
was as I expected. The squall Avas so severe that 


THE BARK PICKS US UP 


153 


Mr. Cutter was obliged to keep the vessel away 
before the blast, and run for it ; and he showed good 
seamanship in so doing. But, as he said afterwards, 
it was a horrible thing to do, to sail directly away 
from us in that squall ; and he scarcely believed that 
we could live through it, and when it cleared away it 
was with fear and trembling that he and Mr. Frisbee 
looked for the boat. However, as it turned out, it was 
all right. The moment we were discovered, the bark 
was put about, and ran down towards us, and was hove 
to. And my men having in the mean time relieved the 
boat of the water, which had nearly swamped her, by 
using their hats as bailers, we soon pulled alongside, 
and the boat was hoisted to the davits. 

Caesar, by this time, had become perfectly quiet, 
and we . relieved him of his lashings ; and with the 
exception of the places that he had cut in his 
tongue with his teeth, in his agony, he seemed 
all right. And perhaps I may as well say here that 
he never had another fit, during the whole voyage, 
till we arrived at the Straits of Sunda, an account of 
Avhich will appear in its proper place. 

Mr. Cutter and Mr. Frisbee were both sincerely 
glad to see me safe and sound again on board ; and, 
as the French say, I certainly had passed “ a bad half- 
hour,” and never desire to renew the experience. 

For several days poor Csesar suffered from the 
effects of his fit, but gradually returned to his cus- 
tomary health and playful tricks, and the incident 


154 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


was forgotten, except that we- were all glad that he 
was saved, for he was a universal favorite and pet, 
and one of the most intelligent dogs I have ever 
seen, as I think I have before said. His tongue 
healed very quickly ; but the scars where he had 
bitten it always remained. Poor old boy ! he had no 
more intention of biting or injuring anybody than a 
child ; but, in his agony, had the appearance of 
desiring to bite everybody. How many poor dogs 
have, in his state, been immediately pronounced mad 
by the ignorant, and instantly killed. 

It was about this time that Mr. Cutter took it into 
his head to study arithmetic under Mr. Frisbee’s 
tuition. And it was a grand idea, for Mr. Cutter, in 
his early days, had had little chance to improve his 
mind, in his hard, toilsome life at sea ; and he was 
greatly in need of improving his ciphering, so as to 
be able to be a good navigator, and at some day com- 
mand a vessel himself on long sea-going voyages. 

He was not what would be called an apt scholar, 
but Mr. Frisbee was very patient with him, and Mr. 
Cutter was determined to learn ; and the great drops 
of sweat used to break out over his forehead, in his 
attempts to determine some of the simplest problems. 
But, by dint of close application and a good master, 
he finally began to make progress, and what he 
learned he remembered. And what he acquired on 
the voyage, he used to say in after years, was of 
invaluable service to him in his profession. 


THE MATE IMPROVES HIS NAVIGATION 155 

Besides the study of arithmetic, he improved 
his navigation with me, having something now to 
base his calculations upon, and made excellent prog- 
ress in calculating the longitude by means of the 
chronometer, which is the method now generally in 
use, lunars, or determining the longitude from 
observations of the moon and some planet, being 
nearly done away with, and only used in case of 
necessity, or when the chronometer is supposed to be 
incorrect — a calculation that calls for great skill and 
accuracy in the observations, and a lengthy and cor- 
rect figuring and examination of the nautical tables 
to determine the result. It was called good work 
thirty years ago to determine the longitude of a 
vessel at sea, by a lunar observation, within twenty 
miles. By a chronometer, in these days, it is easy to 
define it within two or three miles, and often within 
one mile. 

As we sped along towards the south, it became 
quite a question with Mr. Frisbee and myself whether 
or not we should stop at St. Helena, and send home 
letters. It was directly in our route, and would be a 
pleasant break in the monotony of the voyage. We 
finally decided to leave it to chance. If the winds 
were such that our course would carry us near to it, 
we concluded to stop ; but if Ave were, on account of 
head Avinds, forced off our regular course, I did not 
think it Avould pay to waste much time in attempting 
to make it by leaving our direct course to do so. In 


156 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


all probability, the way the wind stood, we should 
naturally pass quite near to it, and so we left the 
matter for the present. 

By this time in our voyage we had got down to 
what is called on shore, in the slang of the day, hard 
pan. Each person knew his duty, and performed it 
well. The bark was in good order, and proved in 
heavy weather to be an excellent sea-boat ; and the 
service was carried on well, and things kept in good 
order, and the manoeuvres executed by the crew with 
celerity and spirit. 

There was by this time a place for all the fish-lines, 
grains, and harpoons, and the guns were kept loaded 
and handy for any emergency. Having described how 
boneta and porpoise are caught, I shall not inflict 
upon my reader a recital of each individual case, but 
will simply say that we were successful in capturing 
a good many during the voyage. And as for birds, 
we quite often added a specimen to the numerous 
skulls and beaks that we already had hung up in the 
cabin, white as snow from being towed astern till 
perfectly cleansed. 

So far, we had been extremely lucky as to our spars 
and sails, and had lost nothing but a few stun’s’l- 
booms that had been snapped off in squalls, and a few 
sails split from the same cause, all of which is to be 
expected in a long voyage, and for which accidents 
we had started well prepared. 


AMUSEMENT FOR THE CREW 


157 


CHAPTER XL 

CHANTY SONGS. KITE-FLYING. FIREWORKS AT AN 

IMMENSE ALTITUDE. THE MATE’s YARN. 

On board of a vessel where, of course, there is a 
good deal of monotony, everything possible to amuse 
and keep the crew in good-humor is attempted and 
permitted within bounds. All heavy work, such as 
weighing the anchor, or hoisting a large sail, such as 
a topsail, or pumping ship, is accompanied by a song 
that sailors call a chanty, probably a corruption of 
the French word chanter^ to sing. Except with a 
very few crabbed captains, this singing is permitted 
in all sea-going vessels, and has a tendency to keep 
the crew good-natured and contented. In fact, when 
there is no chanty song heard on a vessel, it is proof 
positive that the crew are not in accord with the 
master. 

On our bark they sang at everything, in real good, 
old-fashioned style, and we of the quarter-deck used 
to like to hear them. It is said that the practice is 
going out of fashion as steamships increase, and the 
race of real seamen dies out ; but the disuse had cer- 
tainly not reached the Maryland. The songs are 
made up of doggerel, often without rhyme or reason, 


158 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


and it is said that most of the popular ones were 
caught from hearing the negroes sing similar songs 
in loading cotton into the clipper ships from the levees 
at New Orleans ; still, they are not negro songs, but 
are weird, peculiar melodies. Nearly all nations 
have something of the same kind to encourage them- 
selves with when at hard labor; and the Japanese at 
Nagasaki have a very musical chanty, that they use 
when laboring at the long sculling oars of their swift 
harbor boats. It is quite impossible to present to 
you on paper the melody of these different songs, 
but the method is the same in all. The leader at the 
head place in pulling on a halyard or brace, and 
backed by three "or four others, starts one of the 
many songs in vogue, to which his companions pay 
no attention till he reaches the chorus, when they 
accompany him with a vim ; and at the same time, 
and all in unison, pull back upon the rope they are 
holding in their hands with all their might. 

To give you a faint idea of where the pull comes in, 
I will write for you a few lines, printing in italics 
the portion of the words which, when uttered, cause 
the crew to put forth all their strength. 

A very common and acceptable chanty for hoisting 
away on topsail halyards was the following, called 
“ Whiske}^, Boys, Whiskey ” : — 

“ Oh, were. you ever in Liverpool town? 

Chorus. Oh ! whis-\iey, boys, ^67^^5-key ! 

’Tis there the girls in flocks come down ; 

Chorus. Oh, ^e/^^s-key for my John-nQy\ 


CHANTY SONGS 


159 


Oh, up aloft that yard must go; 

Chorus. Oh ! ivhis-'key, boys, ^vhis-koy ! 

Oh, pull and haul and away she’ll go ; 

Chorus. Oh, whis-key for my Jb/i/i-ney ! ” 

And so on,, verse after verse, till the sail is set. Then 
there are short songs for short pulls, such as — 

“ Oh, way yaa, yaa, yah. 

Chorals. W’ll pay paddy Grimes for his-boo^s. 

Way, haul away, oh! haul away, my Josie, 

Chorus. Way, haul away, haul away-Jb.” 

And verses like the following, in which all take 
part in walking round a capstan with bars : — 

“ Oh, were you ever in Bramlamore fair? 

O, way, yaa, roll and go ! 

An Irishman all in his glory was there, 

Take care of yourself, is it tay you want? 

High, rig a gig gig and a low-back car, 

O, way, yaa, roll and go I 

High, rig a gig gig and a low-back car. 

Take care of yourself, is it tay you want ? ” 

These chanty songs of which I have given you a 
specimen enlivened the voyage, and some of them 
are extremely musical and pathetic in their minor 
keys, and have a sound of old ocean in their weird 
cadence. Each watch generally has its favorite 
chanty man, who starts all the songs, in which every- 
body joins that has a hand in the work then being 
carried on. 


160 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


It was some little time after the successful inaugu- 
ration of the windmill and its appurtenances that 
Mr. Frisbee and myself began to cast about for some 
new amusement. I had ahvays had a hobby about 
kites, balloons, and flying in the air, and so forth ; 
and while we were discussing the matter one day it 
occurred to me that we might have great sport with 
some kites, and make some experiments. So to work 
we went, to turn out two kites. 

We easily arranged the sticks : the carpenter had 
no trouble in finding the proper wood out of Avhich 
to construct them. We were a little at a loss' at first 
to know what to do for paper, as we were at sea, and 
did not receive the morning papers, as one does on 
shore. Finally, we bethought ourselves of the drills 
amongst our cargo. Here was the very stuff we 
wanted, light and thin, but strong, and worth but a 
few cents a yard. We easily got at it in the hold, 
and brought some on deck for immediate use. We 
did not want for twine,. for we had plenty of that 
which we used for repairing our sails ; but, as our 
kites were to be large, we thought it best to set the 
windmill in operation, and lay it up double, so as to 
be extra strong, and not break and cause us to lose 
our well-made and valuable kites, which we could ill 
afford to do. W e made the kites particularly large and 
strong, for we had a purpose in view for using them 
for several experiments that we intended to make in 
mid-air. We knew that they must be more strongly 


TWO SPLENDID KITES 


161 


built than a boy’s kite, for the only way that we 
could fly them would be to set them out over the 
stern of the vessel whenever there was a head wind, 
and that at such times the strain on the string would 
be very severe, on account of the motion of the 
vessel through the water ; so for that and other rea- 
sons we built them strong. 

The two that Mr. Frisbee and I first made were 
exactly the same in size and dimensions ; namely, 
about five feet high, and two feet and a half wide — 
what we used to' call a square kite when I was a -boy. 
After we had them all fitted, we took a pleasant day 
and made a trial of them. We had not long to wait 
for an opportunity ; for all days were, as a rule, pleas- 
ant in the latitude in which we now were, and the 
wind light and steady. On our very first trial we 
found that they floated beautifully, and were evenly 
balanced. 

We had another reason for not using paper for our 
kites, and that was that we intended to fly them by 
night, and we very well knew that the damp sea 
night-air would very soon have penetrated paper so 
as to have destroyed it, and our kites would have 
fallen into the sea. By fitting them with cloth cov- 
erings, we made sure that this accident should not 
happen to them. 

After we had fully satisfied ourselves that they 
would fly beautifully, we went to work on another 
experiment. This was to send up fireworks to the 


162 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


kites, in the night-time, by means of a small messen- 
ger kite, and watch them explode at a vast altitude, 
very much higher than a rocket is sent by its own 
momentum, — ay, several times as high, for we had 
very long strings attached to them, and could send 
them up to a wonderful height. 

To make our fireworks we went to work in this 
manner: we took a piece of common pine board 
about an inch thick, and sawed off a foot of it. 
Then we set the carpenter to work, and helped our- 
selves, to bore auger-holes of about three-quarters of 
an inch in diameter into the end pf the board, and in a 
line with the grain of the wood, about eight inches 
deep, and parallel to each other, the whole width of the 
board. We then split the board carefully apart, and, 
as a result, had a set of cylinders that we could load 
with our firework compounds. After these cylinders 
were split off, we then sawed them off on one end, 
leaving a good inch of solid wood' at the base, to 
prevent the bottom blowing out when they exploded 
in mid-air. 

To make them light we whittled down the out- 
sides till they were quite thin, and thus had a tube 
that, for all practical purposes, took the place of the 
strong pasteboard of which sky-rocket cases are made. 

To make them doubly secure against bursting, we 
bound them on the outside, their whole length, with 
strong waxed twine. After we had at least a dozen 
tubes made, we proceeded to experiment in compounds 


LOADING FIREWORKS 


163 


to fill them with; and, in this direction, Mr. Frisbee and 
I had lots of fun, and used up quite a quantity of can- 
non-powder, of which we had a great plenty on board. 

After a number of trials, we finally loaded our tubes 
in this manner : first, we put a gun charge of common 
gunpowder in the base, which had the effect of burst- 
ing the tube, as the final result of the explosion; On 
top of this we placed cannon-powder that had been 
worked up into all kinds of compounds. Our tubes 
were in the nature of Roman candles, and were sup- 
posed to emit their contents in different colored 
flames and balls ; and you would certainly have been 
surprised to see to what perfection we eventually 
brought them with the few materials we had to work 
with. By repeated trials with the cannon-powder, 
and mixing it with water and flour, we got it to a 
consistency where it would sizzle and burn compara- 
tively slowly without exploding, the same as Roman 
candles do. Then we went to work and prepared a 
quantity of steel and copper filings, knowing very 
well that the one makes a bright white light, and the 
other a brilliant yellow one. We mixed these filings 
into different portions of the diminished powder, and 
thus obtained different colored results. Between 
portions of these different colored fiames we placed 
wads of oakum, soaked in spirits of turpentine, 

* which, in falling from their great height in the 
heavens, made a most beautiful sight, and often 
burned until they were extinguished in the ocean. 


164 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


To get these fireworks up to the kites sailing in 
mid-air and far out of sight in the darkened heavens, 
we used a small kite that we called a messenger. 
This little kite was made about the size of a common 
book-cover, and of very light materials. It was 
square in shape, and covered with paper, for all the 
world like a big kite, except that right through the 
centre was fastened a short hollow tube, similar to 
the spool that thread comes wound upon. This was 
for the purpose of reeving the kite-string through, to 
send it up on its way into the heavens. The inside 
of this tube, or spool, was always nicely greased, so 
that the messenger would not lag on its aeriel flight 
heavenwards. Instead of a tail to this little kite, we 
attached the firework that we desired to set off. 

To have it explode at exactly the right moment 
we hit upon quite an ingenious device. We fitted the 
firework to be discharged with a long slow-match, 
and wound it round the string of the small kite from 
which it depended in such a manner that, just before 
it was about to explode, it would burn itself loose 
from the messenger kite, and drop towards the ocean, 
lying in darkness far below it, and at such a distance 
that the whole explosion took place with magnificent 
effect long before it reached it. 

To get the messenger well started on its way, we first 
rove it, through its spool, onto the kite-string, and 
then drew a hundred feet or so of the latter in over 
the stern, pushing the messenger along all the time 


FIEEWOKKS CARRIED HEAVENWARD 


165 


till we had enough to insure its being well started on 
its way by the wind ; for every boy will understand 
that, after we had this hundred feet or so of the kite- 
line in hand, and the little kite strung upon it, we 
had only to let it out again quickly, and there was 
our messenger already a hundred feet on its way, and 
in a position to catch all the wind, and go sailing 
upwards into space, carrying the dim, burning spark 
of the slow-match with it. 

We enjoyed these' fireworks and kite-flying hugely, 
and I very much doubt if more beautiful effects were 
ever obtained at sea from the materials we had to 
work with. 

The experience that we had gained ' in the manu- 
facture of fireworks stood us in good need later on in 
our voyage, when we came to celebrate the Fourth of 
July, off the Cape of Good Hope, of which you will 
hear farther on. Many and many a pleasant night 
we sent up our gallant kites, and enjoyed the fire- 
works. 

All this while the Maryland was making her way 
across the South Atlantic, and the crew were well 
and contented. One brilliant, lovely moonlight 
night, as Mr. Frisbee and myself were sitting on the 
quarter-deck, enjoying the peaceful hour, I was forci- 
bly reminded of the effect that the yarns that had 
been told by the crew had had on the mind of Mr. 
Frisbee by his suddenly saying, — 

“ By the way. Captain, what is to prevent us 


166 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


having a good sea-yarn from one of the crew to-night? 
Have you. any objection? ” 

“ Not the slightest.” 

“ I’ll tell you whom we’ll have, Captain ; we’ll have 
Mr. Cutter, the mate. He ought to have lots of mate- 
rial to draw upon, and it’s his watch on deck now, 
and just the time to catch him. Won’t you hail 
him. Captain, and ask him if he won’t entertain 
us?” 

“ Yes ; I’ll see what I can do.” 

‘‘Mr. Cutter.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” responded the mate. 

“ Step this way,” continued I. “ Mr. Frisbee wants 
very much. Cutter, to have you spin us a real good, 
old sea-yarn : something that is true, and really hap- 
pened to yourself, and which you can vouch for. Do 
you remember something of the kind that you can 
spin for our edification ? ” 

“ Wall, Captain, I don’t make no pretence of being 
a story-teller ; but if a real true yarn will suit you, 
that really happened to me in the China Seas a few 
years ago. I’ll give it to you.” 

“Yes; that’s exactly what we want,” said JMr. 
Frisbee. 

“Wall, here goes,” said the mate, who, without 
further ado, started in on the following yarn : — 

“ The island of Quelpart, as you well know. Cap- 
tain, lies off the southern coast of the Empire of 
Corea, in the Yellow Sea, and is about midway be- 


THE MATE’S YARN 


167 


tween Nagasaki, Japan, and Taliawan Bay, in the 
Gulf of Pechili, in Northern China; and some thirty 
miles off the southern part of this island occurred 
quite a serious adventure to me, as you shall hear. 

“ While in Japan I was tempted to give up following 
the sea for a time, and obtained quite a lucrative posi- 
tion with an American firm in Nagasaki, and shortly 
after that time the allied armies and fleets of Great 
Britain and France were making a rendezvous in Talia- 
wan Bay, preparatory to a descent upon the famous 
Ta-ku forts, war against China having been proclaimed, 
and the news of the preparations being made had 
come to us in Nagasaki, by vessel from Shanghai, 
China. 

“At that time the firm of Walsh & Co. — the senior 
member of which was also United-States Consul at 
Nagasaki — owned a vessel, called the Fenimore 
Cooper, which had quite a history, and which was 
used by them as a yacht, or pleasure-boat. The Fen- 
imore Cooper was originally a New-York pilot-boat of 
about ninety tons’ burden and schooner rigged. She 
was purchased by the United States some time about 
1850, and sent round the Horn on a surveying expe- 
dition in the Pacific Ocean, and, after having per- 
formed the duties for which she was purchased, was 
sold by the United States to the above firm. 

“ She was a beautiful craft of about ninety feet in 
length, copper fastened, and a splendid sea-boat. 

“ She was at the time I speak of lying in harbor at 


168 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Nagasaki without a . crew, and rather a white elephant 
on the hands of her owners, who, perhaps, found it 
inexpedient or too expensive to keep her in commis- 
sioa 

“ When the news came of the war with China, it 
gave us all the fever to see some of the fighting; 
and it flashed over me that I might charter this 
vessel, and load her with something that would pay, 
and cross over to the scene of the fight, about eight 
hundred miles distant. 

“ I thought that possibly the large number of ves- 
sels congregating in the magnificent bay of Taliawan 
might be very glad to obtain fresh vegetables. I 
had considerable money laid by, and concluded to 
make the venture of chartering the Fenimore Cooper, 
and loading her with what we Yankees might call 
‘ garden sass,’ and taking a trip both for pleasure and 
profit, to see the fight, and sell my venture to John 
Bull and Jean FraiiQois. 

“Having matured my plans, I called on Messrs. 
Walsh & Co., and soon had concluded a bargain to 
charter the schooner for three months, at a very rea- 
sonable figure. 

“My next care was to load her; and I bought all 
the green vegetables possible in every direction that 
came to hand, including new potatoes from Hackadadi, 
that had lately arrived in Japanese junks. 

“Without much trouble I got together quite a 
respectable amount of cargo, consisting of fruits, 


AN ADVENTURE OFF QUELPART 


169 


melons, Japanese lettuce, etc., and a large quantity 
of fine new potatoes. 

“ The next thing was to obtain a crew, and in tliis 
was the greatest difficulty. No seamen were to be 
obtained for love or money ; but I finally fell upon a 
stranded second mate, an American, who went by the 
name of Sears, who was floating about the vicinity 
doing little or nothing, and waiting for a chance to 
get home or to China. I offered him the position of 
mate, and he very gladly accepted. With him I was 
able to get one other white man, whose name I have 
now forgotten, who shipped also with me as a sort of 
second mate. He was, however, only an ordinary 
seaman, a Dane by birth, I should say ; but men got 
quick promotion in various ways in China and Japan 
in those days. 

“We were in a great hurry to get off, and there 
was no material to choose from, as I have said ; these 
two persons being the only white men whom I could 
find in the whole foreign settlement who would ship, 
or who had any pretentions to the title of seaman. 

“Nothing remained for me to do, to fill up the 
complement of my crew, than to ship some Chinese 
sailors. I could not take Japanese, for at that time 
no Japanese were permitted to leave the kingdom, 
the penalty if recaptured being death. 

“ There were more or less of the almond-eyed 
Celestials round about the foreign settlement in 
Nagasaki, who were willing to ship. I soon had a 


170 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


cook and a steward all in one person, and three 
Chinese seamen (?) to complete my crew, — seven 
persons all told, including myself. 

“ One glorious July morning, we started out of 
the magnificent harbor of Nagasaki, bound for Talia- 
wan Bay, China. We soon stood by the famous 
island of Papenburg, that stands at the entrance to 
the bay, from the steep, abrupt sides of which in the 
sixteenth century were cast down upon the rocks 
below, at its base, thousands of Japanese converts to 
the then hated Christian religion, which was thus 
stamped out and extirpated. 

“ Out by the capes of Gotto, famous in years gone 
by amongst whalers on account of the large number 
of sperm-whales that used to be taken in the vicinity, 
sped the Fenimore Cooper on an easy bowline, headed 
for Quelpart, a large island lying, as I have said, off 
the southern coast of Corea — a landmark worthy of 
being sighted, striking in its beautiful foliage, stand- 
ing, as it does, as a sort of sentinel at the mouth of 
the Yellow Sea. 

“ After we had made some offing, so as to be well 
outside of all land danger before night fell, I mus- 
tered the crew aft to arrange them into watches. 

“ The Dane, whom I will call Mr. Smith to dis- 
tinguish him, was to have charge of one watch, and 
Mr. Sears of the other, while I was supposed, as cap- 
tain, to have a general supervision over all. 

“ It was found that two of the Chinese could steer 


A CHINESE HELMSMAN 


171 


very fairly after I had made them understand which 
point of the compass I desired them to steer by ; and 
I could only do this by taking the tiller and bringing 
the schooner on her course, and then, pointing to the 
compass, show the helmsman the desired point. 

“The Chinaman,- of course, knew not a word of 
our lingo as to the names of the points of the com- 
pass, but he knew its use perfectly well ; and, in fact, 
the Chinese are credited with having discovered the 
magnet and its use, as in a mariner’s compass, some 
centuries before we outside barbarians knew any- 
thing about it. 

“Seven persons was not a great number to go to sea 
with in a large enough vessel to cross the ocean in ; 
but in those days I did not stop to think of risks. 
The crew were divided into two watches without any 
trouble, as there was little choice, two in the mate’s 
and one in my watch ; and at six bells in the dog- 
watch the starboard watch came on deck, and the 
others went below to supper. 

“Everything passed along well for two or three 
days, and we had pleasant weather and a smooth sea. 

“ I soon found out that Mr. Sears knew nothing of 
navigation, but was a fair, every-day sailor, and knew 
how to carry sail and attend to the ordinary duties on 
shipboard. 

“ On the morning of the fourth day Quelpart 
loomed up on the starboard bow, and during the w^hole 
day we moved along to the southward of it, distant 
about fifteen miles. 


172 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ Towards evening it shut in thick, and the wind 
kicked up quite a sea, and the schooner was reaching 
to the westward in great shape. The only boat that 
we had was a little cockle-shell of a thing, not over 
ten feet in length, that was lashed down upon the 
deck, well forward. 

“ It must have been about six bells (eleven o’clock 
at night) when, as I was walking the quarter-deck, 
feeling the least bit anxious with my mixed crew, as 
to the wind and weather, that I heard the guttural 
cry of the Chinamen, in a tone that denoted distress 
or danger, and at the same moment the cook, who 
could talk a little pigeon English, came aft, crying 
out, ‘ Man-e ovel-bloald ! man-e ovel-bloald ! ’ which 
was as near as he could get to saying, ‘ Man over- 
board.’ 

“ All was at once excitement and confusion. It 
seemed afterwards that this poor Chinese, who was 
on the lookout forward, had probably fallen asleep, 
and, in a sudden lurch of the vessel, fallen overboard ; 
at any rate, the cook, who happened by chance to be 
coming out of his galley, saw him fall to leeward, 
and heard his despairing cry. Mr. Sears, who was 
below, came rushing on deck, and I had the vessel at 
once brought to the wind, and the small boat 
launched. 

“ It was a foolhardy thing, as I now look back 
upon it, to launch that boat at all in that seaway ; but 
we did not stop then to think of any danger. I 


CHINAMAN OVERBOARD 


173 


ordered a lantern lighted, and, with two Chinese with 
me in the boat, cast off to attempt to pick up the 
poor fellow, whose cries by this time had become 
very faint. 

“ I told Mr. Sears before I left to keep the vessel 
hove to, and to get a lantern ready as soon as possible, 
and hang over the side, so that I could find the 
schooner again on my return. 

“ The two Chinese in the boat with me were in a 
fearful state of excitement, and we pulled away in 
the direction that we had last heard the voice of the 
unfortunate man, which had now ceased. 

“We pulled and pulled, and finally stopped and 
listened, but could neither hear nor see anything. 

“All at once one of the sailors perceived some- 
thing near by on the water, and we picked up a 
Chinese skull-cap, which the sailor wore when he fell 
overboard. 

“ The boat was very small, and the lantern that I 
had, blinded us more than it helped us ; but I man- 
aged to stand up and look about me, and thought 
that I noticed some peculiar bubbles coming up out 
of the ocean near by us. I grabbed one of the oars 
from the sailors, and thrust it under the water, and it 
caught in the clothes of the drowning man. 

“ In the confusion that ensued the little boat was 
very nearly capsized ; the lantern was jerked out of my 
hand and extinguished, and barely escaping being all 
tipped into the sea, we managed to get the inanimate 


174 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


body into the boat ; and sitting down in the stern- 
sheets, I took the body between my knees, and 
ordered the Chinese to pull for the schooner. 

“ Pull for the schooner ! Wh}^ \^iere was the 
schooner? Nothing in sight but the dreary waste of 
waters, and the sea and wind getting up fast. 

“We pulled the boat’s head in every direction, but 
no schooner. 

“Here was a pretty predicament. Four men 
crowded into a little boat that was never built to hold 
more than two, and to be used only in smooth water, 
thrashing about in half a gale of wind, twenty miles 
from land. What was to be done ? Where was the 
schooner ? 

“ Finally, far away on the starboard bow, I detected, 
with infinite joy, the twinkle of a light, but at least 
a mile away, if I was any judge of distance. It was 
without doubt the lantern-light on the schooner, but 
what in the world could she be doing so far away ? 
We certainly had not got such a distance from her as 
that. And as I gazed I saw she was heading so as to 
pass some distance from us, and a fearful dread fell 
upon me that this was the end of all earthly things 
for me. There we lay helpless, with no light to show 
to the schooner where we were ; too far away to be 
heard by her, and with a dead or dying Chinaman 
between my knees, and a cockle-shell of a boat, in an 
open seaway, far from land. I almost gave up all 
hope of succor. 


RESCUED 


175 


“For some unaccountable reason Mr. Sears had 
evidently misunderstood my orders, and it was evi- 
dent to me, by the yawing of the schooner, that he 
was moving about from place to place, trying to find 
us, instead of remaining hove to — as ordered by me. 
For over an hour, which seemed a lifetime to me, this 
seemingly satanic schooner kept cruising about us. 
Twice she came so near that we hailed her with all 
the strength of our lungs, but she heeded us not, 
and quietly sailed past at too great a distance to 
hear us. 

“ We were fast becoming desperate, and the little 
boat was becoming almost unmanageable in the increas- 
ing sea, when Mr. Sears had the common-sense finally 
to bring the vessel by the wind, and heave her to. 

“We had by this time become nearly exhausted, 
but with a last desperate effort headed toward the 
vessel with some slight hope of being seen and heard 
before she again got under way. I could not speak 
above a whisper, my voice having long since failed 
me, in the desperate attempts to make myself heard, 
as the tantalizing schooner had passed and repassed 
just out of the range of my voice. 

“ At last, thank God, they saw us, and waved the 
lantern ; and in a few more strokes we were along- 
side and on board. 

“ I do not think I ever in my life was more over- 
come with anger and indignation. 

“ In the faintest whisper of what remained to me of 


176 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


a voice I demanded from Mr. Sears an explanation 
of his conduct ; but my anger soon faded away as I 
listened to his recital, and my soul was filled with 
thankfulness for my deliverance. 

“ It seems that Mr. Sears was troubled with heart- 
disease, and I had not left the side of the vessel five 
minutes before he fell down in a faint. There were 
only three men on board — the cook, the second mate, 
and himself. In the confusion that occurred, the 
cook was sent to the helm, and the second mate tried 
to bring Mr. Sears to. In the mean time, while so 
engaged (for he thought him dead), no attention was 
paid to the cook, who was at the helm, and the 
second mate kept plunging down into the cabin for 
brandy and camphor from the medicine chest, to try 
and bring Mr. Sears to. While this was going on, 
the cook kept the vessel away without any orders, 
and thought he would run down towards us ; but when 
he got fairly started our light went out, and he, 
steering wild, must have passed us till the schooner 
was hauled on a wind. When Mr. Sears finally came 
to, he took in the situation at once, like a good sea- 
man; but he was so afraid that we had become 
separated so far that we could never again reach the 
schooner, that he kept tacking about, under the com- 
bined direction of the cook and second mate, trying 
to find us, as his instinct told him that our little boat 
could not live long in such a seaway. I cannot say 
that it was an error of judgment ; it was hard to say 


DEAD CHINAMAN COMES TO LIFE 


177 


wliat should have been done. Finally, in blank 
despair, he hove the vessel to again, in hopes that we 
might, if still afloat. And her, and, thank God, he was 
near enough to us when he did so for us to get on 
board. 

“ Such an experience, however, I do not care to 
again go through with ; it was enough to whiten my 
hair before my time. 

“Two days later we anchored with tHe, fleet in 
Taliawan Bay, and I disposed of my cargo at an 
excellent advance. 

“ The Chinese sailor whom I had had between my 
knees as dead was as merry and bright as a cricket. 
A few doses of brandy and smart rubbing, with con- 
siderable vomiting-up of the sea-water to be found 
off (^uelpart Island, had, soon after our arrival on 
board, put him all right again. 

“ But it was certainly a narrow squeak for life for 
all of us.” 

As Mr. Cutter flnished his yarn, without waiting 
for any comments, he made a respectful nod to Mr. 
Frisbee and myself, and walked briskly forward into 
the waist.^ 

“Well, Captain, that’s a good yarn,” said Mr. 
Frisbee, “ and capitally told. What varied and start- 
ling adventures you sailors all of you do go through 
with, as far as I can make out. It is a wonder that 
any of you live through them so as to be able to tell 
them. I think, so far, that my scheme has been a 


178 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


great success, Captain, and we have you and others 
to hear from yet.” 

“ Yes ; I think we have got some fun out of them 
so far ; but just wait till I spin you mine, and you 
will have enough of them to last you the whole 
voyage.” 

“ Oh, I’m not a bit afraid of that,” said Mr. Fris- 
bee, who bade me good-night, and dove down below, 
the hour being quite late. 

As for me, the heavenly weather was too much for 
me, and I could not have gone to bed, even if I had 
been worn out with fatigue. I liked too well to sit 
and gaze upon the brilliant heavens decked with 
myriads of nameless worlds and suns ; to watch the 
young and growing moon plunge in and out of the 
gathering clouds on the distant horizon ; to hear the 
murmur of the following sea as it broke in laughing 
ripples abaft the mizzen chains ; to commune with 
gray old ocean, as only a sailor can who loves his 
profession. With regret I finally finished my pipe, 
and followed Mr. Frisbee down below. 


WE APPROACH ST. HELENA 


ITO 


CHAPTER XIL 

PUT INTO THE ISLAND OF ST. HELENA, AND VISIT THE 
TOMB OF NAPOLEON, ETC. 

A FEW days after we had listened to the mate’s 
yarn, I said casually to Mr. Frisbee, — 

“ If my longitude is right, — and I know of no 
reason why it should not be, — I think that I can 
point out St. Helena to you before three o’clock this 
afternoon.” 

“ I can’t think of anything that I should like more to 
see,” replied he. “ I suppose you have seen it quite 
often. Captain ? ” 

“ No; I never saw it in my life; of course, I have 
been in the neighborhood of it several times, but was 
never yet lucky enough to see it. In fact, vessels 
rather avoid it as a rule, as slightly out of the general 
course, and a bad rock to run into in the night-time ; 
but as we are in no hurry, I thought you might like 
to see it, as I am sure I shall be, and, if convenient, 
cro on shore, and see a little bit of this historical 
rock.” 

“ Haven’t we got something on board in the way 
of reading matter that gives some description of this 


180 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


famous isle, the prison and tomb of the great Napo- 
leon?” 

“ Oh, yes ! there are those volumes of mine called 
the ‘ Countries of the World,’ that contain a fine 
description. Suppose you bring it up on deck, and 
read it for our mutual benefit.” 

“All right; ni do so.” 

And Mr. Frisbee soon reappeared on deck with the 
book in his hand, and from which he read, amongst 
other interesting facts,^the following, which are here 
reproduced for the benefit of my readers : — 

“St. Helena, a British colony, to which, however, 
no emigrants come, as the place of exile in which 
Napoleon Bonaparte passed the last years of his life, 
must always possess a historical interest. . 

“Actually, however, it is year by year getting 
more out of the world’s way, and of less and less im- 
portance. Discovered by Juan de Nova Castella on 
St. Helena’s day in 1501, it remained known only to 
the Portuguese until 1588, when the English naviga- 
tor Cavendish sighted it. The Dutch were its first 
colonists (for it does not seem to have had any abori- 
gines), and held it until 1673, when it was captured 
by the English. After this, with the exception of the 
six years that it served as the prison for Bonaparte, 
it was ruled by the East India Company. Situated 
nearly in the middle of the South Atlantic, it is over 
eleven hundred miles from the coast of Africa, and 
eighteen hundred from South America. It is entirely 


ISLAND OF ST. HELENA 


181 


volcanic and very mountainous, some of the preci- 
pices rising to the height of twenty-seven hundred 
feet above the sea. It is about ten and a half in 
length and six miles and a half in breadth, enclosing 
about forty-seven square miles. An ancient crater, 
four miles across, open on the south side, gives it the 
aspect of an island which has been built up from 
the depths of the sea, and never been connected with 
any other land. The interior is occupied by a rugged 
plateau rising to an elevation of two thousand feet. 
When first discovered, the island was everywhere 
covered with a dense forest. This vegetation has 
been almost entirely destroyed, and one would 
scarcely believe that it was green and fertile three 
hundred and eighty years ago. Denuded of trees, 
the rich volcanic soil has been swept off by the tropi- 
cal rains till the very bases of the rocks have become 
exposed. Steam has made the island no longer 
essential for ships on their way to or from India to 
call here for water, and the Suez Canal has still fur- 
ther hastened its decay. Many of the sixty-five hun- 
dred people on the island are tinctured with various 
shades of black. The garrison consists of two hun- 
dred men.” 

“ Well, that is a good description,” said I. 

“ Yes,” said Mr. Frisbee ; “ and nothing now remains 
but for us to verify it by landing and seeing it with 
our own eyes.” 

“Well, we can easily do that, for there is the loom 
of it on the starboard bow.” 


182 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


And at the same moment some one forward sung 
out, “ Land ho ! Land ho ! ” 

“ Ay, ay ! we see it,” answered I. 

As the wind was fair, we raised the land rapidly, 
and Mr. Frisbee already had the spy-glass fixed 
upon it. 

In the clear atmosphere in which we were it was dis- 
cernible at a vast distance ; but I saw that we should 
come up with it at least by four or five o’clock. 

I do not know any sight at sea more striking 
than to sail towards this island, as it rises like a 
huge monster as if from the bottom of the sea, and 
pregnant with life. Other land that one sights is 
not so peculiar : there is generally a long coast line 
with depressions and elevations, but in the case of 
St. Helena, one sees nothing but a dark blue point 
seemingly piercing the ocean and pointing to the 
heavens above, gradually growing in size, grandeur, 
and extent, and towering with frightful majesty 
towards zenith, and making, by contrast, the Mary- 
land seem but a ship’s long-boat rocking on the limit- 
less sea. We had not seen any land since leaving 
Cape Cod, except Negro Mountain and Brazil ; and 
all land becomes interesting to sailors, and serves 
to break the monotony of which so many complain, 
but which I have never yet found. One can imagine 
how entrancing it was to see this majestic and awe- 
inspiring island rise as if to stop our pathway in our 
journey towards far Cathay. 


a^APOLEON’S PRISON. 


183 


Having fully made up my mind to put in and 
come to an anchor, I ordered Mr. Cutter to make the 
necessary arrangements, and to get the anchors over 
the bow and ready for letting go, as we only intended 
to stand into the anchorage, and let go an anchor 
while we went on shore. 

We were coming up with the island very fast; and 
it began to appear as if it would overtop our very 
top-gallantmasts, and fall down upon our decks. 
Magnificent and grand there it stood, rising in majesty 
from its watery bed. When we as Americans, with- 
out the prejudice of the French or the English, 
thought of the awful tragedy of which this lone isle 
was the theatre, we were filled with awe. Here died 
one of the master warrior minds of the world, broken- 
hearted when confined to this solitude after the life of 
a demigod, and the maker of kings and kingdoms. 

At about eight bells in the afternoon we found 
ourselves well in under the frowning cliffs of James- 
town Harbor, the only port of the island, and that 
only an open roadstead, situated on the northern side 
of the island. Rounding to near the few vessels that 
we found at anchor, we let go our right bower, and 
swung head to the sea in twenty-five fathoms of 
water, with the toAvn of Jamestown under our stern, 
seemingly but a biscuit’s throw distant, at the base of 
the overtowering cliffs in its rear, with the famous 
Mundeii’s battery part way up the side of the cliff, on 
our starboard side, frowning down upon us with its 


184 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


rows of English cannon, reminding one forcibly of 
Gibraltar ; and directly astern of us the six hundred 
steps of Ladder Hill, cut in the solid rock, and leading 
from the water side and the town of Jamestown, to 
the awful heights towering over and seemingly about 
to fall upon it and bury it forever from human sight. 

We had scarcely got our mud-hook well down 
when we were boarded by the harbor-master, who 
was a hale, well-preserved, but darkly tanned, Eng- 
lishman, who welcomed us very civilly, and, finding 
out that we had simply anchored to visit the island, 
more as a yacht than as a merchantman, and that we 
only desired to go on shore for a short time and to 
examine the island and buy a few stores, was very 
polite, and waived the necessity of our making an 
entry at the Custom House, and very kindly made 
out for us the formal permission to land whenever we 
should choose. 

I thanked him for his courtesy, and saw him over- 
the side and into his pull-away boat, manned by four 
copper-colored fellows, whose nationality I could not 
determine. 

After the harbor-master had left us the crew went 
aloft, and soon had all the sails nicely furled ; and, in 
the evening, there lay the Maryland, snug and quiet, 
with the lights of Jamestown twinkling just astern 
of her. 

By the time we had everything. snug it was Avell 
on to eight o’clock ; but Mr. Frisbee and myself were 


WE GO ON SHORE 


185 


both anxious to see a little of the town, even if it 
was late ; so, calling Mr. Cutter, I ordered him to 
have the quarter-boat lowered and manned, as we 
were going on shore. The boat was soon announced 
as ready, and Mr. Frisbee and myself jumped in with 
two of the crew to row us, and made for the landing- 
place, which lay but a short distance astern of us, as 
I have said. 

We visited the quite handsome church that adorns 
the parade, and had a look at the little town by 
moonlight. After purchasing a few cheap articles, as 
mementos of the island, we walked down to the 
landing, hailed our boat, and pulled back to the 
Maryland, and turned in and went to sleep. 

The next day was a glorious one, and early in the 
morning we made preparations to spend the day on 
shoroy and to visit the uplands. 

After a hearty breakfast, made doubly enjoyable by 
. the addition of a few fresh articles from the shore, we 
tumbled into the boat, and made our second descent 
upon this historic isle. 

We made the ascent of Ladder Hill of six hundred 
steps, and found ourselves looking out from this 
magnificent elevation upon the shipping, and the 
town that lay at our feet, and the boundless extent 
of ocean, over which our eyes roved in admiration. 

Mr. Frisbee and myself hired two of the island 
ponies at this point, and, mounting, made our way, 
under charge of a competent guide, into the interior 


186 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


of the island, and towards Longwood, the famous 
residence of the late Napoleon. We visited this 
place, also the Briers, and the tomb of Napoleon, 
where he was buried until his body was finally con- 
veyed to France. 

After seeing everything possible to be seen, we 
descended Ladder Hill, dined at a sort of restau- 
rant on the parade, and then took our boat, glad 
to get back again on board of the old Maryland, at 
about four o’clock p.m. 

Mr. Cutter and the crew, as a whole, did not care 
much about the island ; but the person who utterly 
detested it turned out to be Julius Africanus, the 
cook, who made no secret of his contempt for the 
people and the island ; and with a great deal of quiet 
enjoyment, Mr. Frisbee and myself, from the quarter- 
deck, heard him laying down the law to the second 
mate in the cabin. 

“ Why, Mr. Jones, sah, I can’t conceive why de 
captain wanted to touch at dis yere island for. Why, 
de folks ain’t even white men nor niggers ; dey is a 
mis’able half-breed, no good anyway, an’ no fit com- 
pany for no decent folks. Did ye see dat ole pirate 
ob a harbor-master ? looked mo’ like a ring-tailed 
monkey dan a white man ; ’spect he might have been 
white some time, but it’s done gone all worn off, 
libing wid dese critters. Dey hain’t got no decent 
grub on de whole island, for I tried de market. I 
’spect old Bony was de best of de crowd day ebber 


THE COOK’S OPINION OF THE ISLAND 187 

had here, but it fixed him in a little while. None of 
dem Frenchmen can’t stand no ’sposure nohow. Mr. 
Jones, I’d radder be towed astern for ten miles dan 
live on dat dare island for one week, and de quicker 
we get up our mud-hook and get out, de better it will 
suit dis yere chile. Try to popolate a island wid 
lialf-breed niggers, and a few British red-coats, and 
some old beach coamers, yah ! ” and away he went 
forward to his galley, growling all the way. 

“ W ell, Mr. Frisbee,” said I, “ we may as well get 
out of this : we have seen all there is to see.” 

“ That’s so. Captain.” 

“ Mr. Cutter, call all hands to up anchor, and send 
some of the men aloft to loose the sails. Be smart, 
sir; I want to get out of here before dark.” 

‘‘ Ay, ay, sir,” answered the mate, cheerily. 

And shortly afterwards the jolly chanty and the 
click of the windlass gave proof that the right bower 
of the Maryland was fast being drawn out of its 
stubborn hold on the bottom of Jamestown Harbor. 
The sails were soon loosed and sheeted home, the 
anchor broken out, fished, and catted, and the Mary- 
land well under way, and soon rounding the northern- 
most point of Jamestown Bay, she was kept away 
to the southward, and on her course for the Cape of 
Good Hope, towards which she went bowling along 
with the wind fresh on her quarter. 

As the night shut down, we looked astern, and saw 
this lonely rock sink to rest in the bosom of old 
ocean, an awe-striking sight. 


188 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


As we dashed along with the favoring breeze, and 
with stun’sails set, Mr. Frisbee and I talked over the 
pleasant things that we had seen, and were very glad 
that we had had the opportunity to see for ourselves 
this unique and peculiar island. ‘ 

As it became later, Mr. Frisbee, with one last 
glance at the now almost indiscernible island astern 
of us, shut in by distance and darkness, bade me good- 
night and went below. 

After a long look at the weather, and a quiet talk 
with Mr. Cutter upon ship’s matters, and a good pull 
at my pipe, I followed him, leaving the quarter-deck 
in charge of the mate. 

The next morning turned out to be as fine a day as 
any person could possibly desire to see, and we 
enjoyed it hugely, being really glad to be again at 
sea ; at least, I was. 

We looked forward with a great deal of pleasure 
to the gunning and sport that we expected to get off 
the Cape of Good Hope, and Mr. Frisbee and myself 
made many plans for enjoying ourselves. Fourth of 
July would soon be upon us also, and it would not 
do to forget that day, even if we were off soundings 
and on the briny deep. 

Our crew were all in good health, and Chineyboy 
and the dogs, supplemented by the cook and the car- 
penter, were for us a continual source of pleasure 
and amusement. We thought as much of Caesar as 
Ave did of one of the crew, and he Avas a universal 


POOR OLD TANNER 


189 


favorite. Poor old Tanner made hard work of it; but 
even lie was a comfort, and his queer ways and utter 
unconcealed distaste to the whole voyage made all 
the more fun for the crew. 

The carpenter kept on cracking his jokes, to the 
admiration of all ; and the cook to cracking his head 
and crockery in his usual style. In fact, we were all 
in a very happy state, master and crew. 


190 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


CHAPTER XIIL 

ALBATROSS FISHING OFF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 

After leaving St. Helena, we bowled along on 
our way with good fresh breezes and pleasant weather, 
and without any mishap. 

In the latter part of the month of June we ap- 
proached the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope, and 
in that part of the ocean where the lordly albatross 
was to be found. 

I think it was on June the 30th that we saw the 
first bird sailing along in all his majesty, and I called 
Mr. Frisbee on deck to look at him. He did not 
come very near, and soon disappeared ; but he was the 
precursor of hundreds that we afterwards saw. 

During the next day or two we saw plenty of them 
as well as Cape pigeons and brown birds. 

I had been telling Mr. Frisbee during the whole 
voyage the pleasure we should have in fishing for 
them. On the third day it blew such a gale of wind 
that we were compelled to heave to, and the good 
bark was, for the first time on the voyage, lying to, 
under a close-reefed maintopsail, in quite a smooth 
sea for the latitude, and with clear weather, but with 
a stormy, fierce wind blowing from the north-east. 


CAPE PIGEONS 


191 


The albatrosses, Cape pigeons, and Mother Carey’s 
chickens followed in large numbers the wake of the 
drifting vessel, as she slowly forged ahead and to 
leeward, at the rate of possibly three knots per hour. 
“This was our long-wished-for opportunity, and we 
availed ourselves of it. 

The peculiarities of these birds that one meets near 
the southern capes, both of Good Hope and Cape 
Horn, are very striking and marked. The first thing 
that is noticed by an observer is the tameness of the 
smaller ones, and the grand, magnificent size of 
the incomparable white albatross. 

Cape pigeons, as they are called, in flight and size 
and color can scarcely be distinguished from the 
home, every-day pigeon that is seen in Northern 
cities, the only difference being a uniformity of color, 
pure white, and black, with white predominating. 

Of course, when captured, the pretty little black- 
webbed feet are seen ; but when they are on the wing 
these are concealed, and it is difficult to distinguish 
them from a flock of tame pigeons, and exceedingly 
tame ones at that, for. they often pass by in their 
flight in the lee of the vessel so close that the hand 
can almost touch them. 

There are authentic accounts of their being seized 
by the hand when on the wing, they approach so 
near. 

These are the tamest of all the species, and seem 
so beautiful in their exquisite, pure, sea plumage. 


192 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


that they are seldom troubled very much, although 
one cannot restrain the temptation to capture a few 
when they are first met. 

Next to these beautiful birds in tameness comes 
the stormy petrel, often called the sea-swallow, or 
Mother Carey’s chicken, a bird in flight and size 
exactly like a land-swallow, but of a dusky brown 
color, almost black, with a white patch across the 
base of the tail feathers. These birds come quite 
close to the vessel, but not as near as the pigeons, 
and do not rise from the line of the waves into the 
air, but continually follow along the surface of the 
ocean, dipping at times one of their Avebbed feet into 
the Avater to sustain themselves Avhen checking their 
flight to examine anything tha^ they think may prove 
food for their hungry maAVS. 

Noav, all these birds, so beautiful in appearance, 
are carnivorous, and the cook’s slush-barrel is their 
fountain of delight. 

The slightest particle of grease that is dropped 
over the side attracts them ; and a handful of the 
refuse of the skimmings of the salt beef and pork, 
taken from the slush-barrel, and throAvn overboard, 
will bring every bird in sight doAvn in a huddle on to 
the ocean’s surface, fighting and screaming for every 
particle of this nauseous mass of accumulated fat, 
Avhich is kept by the cook from the skimmings of 
innumerable pots of salt beef and pork, and sold for 
soap-fat upon arrival in port. 


FLIGHT OF THE ALBATROSS 


193 


Besides the birds that I have enumerated, we 
have in lesser numbers those of an intermediate size, 
as large as a goose or bald-headed eagle; and these 
are called by different names, given them by sailors, 
such as the black albatross, the quaker bird (a large 
brown bird the size of a goose), the hagdown, the 
booby, the blubber-hunter, etc. 

Now, the greatest prize of all these birds is the 
great white albatross, which is often caught, showing 
a spread of wings over eleven feet in extent. I have 
measured one that was thirteen and one-half feet from 
tip to tip. These old fellows do not come so near to 
the vessel as the smaller birds, and often fly quite 
high in the air, comparatively speaking. 

When I say fly, I mpan float ; for at times an alba- 
tross will scale about in every direction and with 
graceful curves, with the wings set as if fashioned 
out of steel, and without a perceptible motion. Once 
in a great while the wings make a stroke in the air, 
but very seldom ; and thus they crossed and recrossed 
our Avake hour after hour in their tireless flight. 

Now, the greatest feat is to capture one of these 
fellows, and it can only be done when the, vessel is 
moving very slowly through the water. 

The articles needed to fish for one of these birds is 
a good, strong fish-line, several hundred feet in length, 
to which is attached a large codfish hook, baited with 
a piece of salt pork large enough to float the hook on 
account of the fatty matter it contains. 


194 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


The art consists in paying out the line fast enough, 
as the vessel forges ahead, to have the pork float 
quietly on the surface of the sea, so as to attract 
the attention of any passing albatross, and to also get 
it far enough astern to be out of the way of the 
myriads of birds that keep up nearer to the vessel ; 
so a long line is needed and a good deal of patience, 
for as soon as all the line is out, and the bait begins 
to tow, an albatross will seldom touch it, or, if pre- 
pared to do so, by the time it gets its immense wings 
folded and itself into the water the bait is dragged a 
fathom or two away, and the silly bird never sees it, 
and soon gets upon the wing again, and the line has 
often to be hauled in and payed out anew. For this 
reason some slack line is alwajs reserved on deck to 
pay out while the albatross is fooling with the bait, 
so that it will not be drawn away from him. Some- 
times in getting the bait buoyed out the lesser tribes 
see it, and then ensues a perfect fight and squabble 
between the Cape pigeons. Mother Carey’s chickens, 
and the booby s, to see who will get most of the tempt- 
ing bait, and, as the hook is too large to capture them, 
the bait is stripped off before the line is half payed 
out; still, this is a good method if you can keep your 
bait on for a minute or two, for the albatrosses always 
make for the squabbling birds, and, alighting in their 
midst, drive them at once away, and, if there is any 
bait left, commence to appropriate it themselves. In 
this way they are quite often caught. 


THE LORDLY ALBATROSS 


195 


Not the least peculiar part of this sport is that the 
bird is captured nine times out of ten by the hook 
catching in the end of the upper mandible of the 
beak, and it is scarcely ever swallowed, and the bird 
is seldom hurt in the slightest ; but if the line is 
slacked in the least degree, out drops the hook. 
After the albatross is hooked, he tries one of two 
methods to escape : either taking wing, which is the 
most exciting, and sailing round like a huge kite till 
pulled on board with the fish-line, or more commonly 
bracing his great web feet forward in the water, and 
spreading his enormous wings, is thus dragged along 
over the summit of every wave till he reaches the 
deck of the ship. 

The first thing, as is usual with them when caught, 
is in one moment to become seasick, and to vomit up 
huge, undigested masses of sea carrion ; the next, to 
snap their huge beak at any who approaches, with a 
noise similar to, and as loud as, a pair of boy’s 
clappers. 

Nothing is done to prevent these birds escaping, 
for you must know that they cannot take flight from 
the deck of a ship, but only by facing the wind on 
the ocean, and paddling along with their feet till 
their wings fill. They seem to know this as well as 
anybody, and generally stand in a quiet attitude, 
without attempting to escape, and vomit up their 
food. These birds are the largest known creatures 
in the world that move in the air by means of 


196 


LOG OF THE MARYLAN'D 


wings, exceeding in size the condor of South 
America. 

Our opportunity in this storm, while the Maryland 
was hove to, had come ; and, as Mr. Frisbee had long 
been prepared for such an occasion,, he soon appeared 
on the quarter-deck, hook and line in hand. 

It is impossible for but one to fish at a time, and I 
was very glad to have Mr. Frisbee try his luck. 

“ Now, Mr. Frisbee, bear a hand. There’s ten or 
twelve of the big fellows flying about us ! ” ex- 
claimed I. 

“ All right. Captain, I’ll be ready in a moment.” 
And he proceeded to bait his hook with a big piece 
of pork that Chineyboy had brought to him from the 
galley, while I occujDied myself in dribbling slush 
over the stern to keep the small birds near the bark, 
so as to give the albatross a good chance. 

“ Pay out, Frisbee ; now’s your chance.” 

“I know it, and here she goes,” said he, as he 
quickly and handily let his bait float astern. 

He managed so Avell that his bait got well away 
from the bark without the gang of pigeons and 
Mother Carey’s chickens being aware of it, occupied 
as they were with the slush that I was feeding them 
with under the stern, which of itself was a big thing, 
as it is generally very difficult to get the bait away 
from the vessel without having these small birds 
pounce upon it and tear off the bait before an alba- 
tross can get near it ; and they never get caught in 


FISHING FOR ALBATROSS 


197 


this stealing, for the hook is so large that they cannot 
be hooked. 

In this instance, Mr. Frisbee got his bait started in 
great shape, and he commenced paying out from his 
large stock of reserved line, as fast as the Maryland 
surged ahead, so as to give the bait the appearance of 
being stationary and floating on the water, as it really 
was. Hove to as we were, the Maryland was forging 
ahead and to leeward, at possibly the rate of two 
knots an hour, so the flshline did not have to be 
payed out very fast ; in fact, it was an admirable 
opportunity to catch one of these huge fellows, as 
good a chance as we should probably have during the 
whole voyage. 

Mr. Frisbee. had a very long line, and handled it 
with great skill. He did not pay out all the time, but 
after he had gotten the bait well astern, and out of the 
way of the piratical crew under the stern that I was 
feeding, he let it tow through the water until an alba- 
tross was about to cross our wake, when he would im- 
mediately pay out more slack line, and bring the pork 
bait to the surface of the ocean, and in a floating and 
quiescent state, in hopes that the passing albatross 
would see it. The trouble was, however, that the birds 
would cross the wake far astern of where the bait was 
floating, or else between it and the bark ; and thus 
they missed it again and again, for it was very rough, 
and it was often out of sight in the trough of the sea, 
or buried in the foam of the summit of a wave. 


198 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Two or three times we thought we were going to 
get a bite, but were disappointed ; and, finally, Mr. 
Frisbee had all his long line out, and was compelled 
to haul it in again and commence anew. 

The second time he did not have so good luck, for 
in spite of my endeavors to keep the small pirates 
under the stern, by feeding them with slush, they spied 
his big piece of pork, as it floated astern, and with 
one fierce cry it was set upon by fifty of these smaller 
birds, and, in a twinkling of an eye, in spite of the 
size of the bait, nothing was left but the bare hook ; 
and there was nothing to do but to again haul in the 
line, and send Chineyboy to the galley for another 
piece of pork. 

“ Never mind, Mr. Frisbee,” said I, “ the third time 
n^ver fails.” And I was a prophet, for we managed 
between us to get the bait well astern without the 
small birds finding it out. 

Finally, a magnificent albatross came sailing by, and 
crossed our wake just astern of the floating bait, 
and saw it as he passed, threw one of his magnificent 
wings sharp up towards zenith, turned a beautiful 
short curve in the air, returned again to the wake, 
and settled down near the floating bait. 

He sat for a moment, as they always do, looking 
about him in a stupid way ; but Mr. Frisbee knew 
what he was about, and fed out slack line, so as to 
keep the bait right under his nose. Presently he 
saw it, and made a snap at it with his powerful beak, 



See page 199 







HOOK AN ALBATKOSS 


199 


but in a dainty way, to find out whether or not he 
liked it. As it evidently suited his taste, he then 
attempted to devour it, and this is the time that 
one must trust somewhat to luck, for one does not 
know just when to pull. 

In this case, Mr. Frisbee, as it proved, was a little 
too impatient, it being his first bird, and pulled on 
the line too quickly, and had the mortification of 
seeing the bait jump far out of the water, and in 
advance of the albatross. We all thought he had 
lost him, for it is seldom that they find the bait again 
after they have had it pulled away from them ; but, 
in this instance, it rose on the top of a not very 
distant wave, and luckily the albatross saw it ; and 
with a few strokes of his powerful webbed feet, was 
almost immediately again alongside of it, and attempt- 
ing to swallow it, he evidently having liked his first 
taste, when it was so unceremoniously jerked away 
from him. 

This time Mr. Frisbee was a little more deliberate, 
and when he pulled, the line tautened, and the 
albatross responded by unfolding his wings and 
attempting to fly, and by pushing his great webbed 
feet out ill advance, to prevent himself from being 
dragged towards the vessel. But it was no use ; Mr. 
Frisbee had him sure this time, and, unless he could 
get some slack line, he was our prey. Still, nobody 
is • sure of an albatross till he is safe on board, for 
nine times out of ten the hook only holds by being 


200 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


caught in the bill, and, if the line is slacked, out it 
drops. Many are lost just under the stern, for the 
motion there of the vessel jumping up and down in a 
seaway, makes it very difficult to keep the line per- 
fectly taut. 

But in theory Mr. Frisbee knew all about these 
things, and had not been talking albatross fishing the 
whole voyage with Mr. Cutter and myself without 
being posted on all these points that he was now put- 
ting in practice, and the result was that the albatross 
came bounding along over the tops of the wave^ in 
great shape till he was well under the stern, when 
the final test came of which I have spoken, and when 
the whole weight of the immense bird must for a 
moment or two rest wholly on the line and hook 
while drawn up from the water to the deck. 

Mr. Frisbee was equal to the occasion, and, although 
his face showed suppressed excitement, he handled 
that albatross in great shape, and with one magnifi- 
cent sweep landed him over the taffrail and on to the 
quarter-deck. 

As soon as he touched the deck out fell the hook, 
which was only caught in the point of the upper 
mandible, as we suspected, proving that if he had 
been given the least bit of slack line we never should 
have captured him. 

Mr. Frisbee acted as if demented, and took off his 
hat and gave three cheers. In the mean while, the 
albatross stood on the deck in a rather awkward posi- 


UTILIZE THE WING BONES OF AN ALBATKOSS 201 


tion, but did not make a single movement to escape, 
and did not act as if he was at all afraid of us. The 
only sign he showed of our presence was to snap his 
bill at us whenever we approached too near to him, 
or attempted to touch him. No language can convey 
to you the exquisite beauty and purity of his plumage, 
especially the down on his breast, whiter than the 
driven snow. It was only when he commenced, a 
few moments after, to vomit up a mass of undigested 
squid and sea garbage that we were compelled to 
disabuse our minds of the purity of his habits as 
regards food at least, in spite of the immaculate purity 
of his plumage and the innocent expression of his 
eyes. 

After we had feasted our eyes with looking at him, 
he was handed over to Julius Africanus for decapita- 
tion. We towed the head and beak over the stern 
for a week or two till it was as white as snow, and 
from the webbed feet we made pocket-books, and 
from the bones of the wing, dog whistles, needle- 
cases, and bird-calls. The flesh served as a meal 
for the dogs. We tried to eat some of it, but 
found it too fishy for our taste, and even the dogs 
did not take very kindly to it after they had been 
served a few times. The capture of this albatross 
was not our. last one, by any means : before we had 
rounded the Cape we caught many more, but none 
handsomer than this first bird. Before this gale was 
over we caught two more, if my memory serves me 


202 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


correctly. One was caught by Mr. Cutter, and the 
other by myself. 

Towards evening the gale abated, and before the 
sun went down I had the Maryland under close-reefed 
topsails, and headed on her course to the southward. 
This, of course, ended all attempts at fishing, but 
gave us a chance to amuse ourselves in a different 
way. 

Although the bark on the next day was going 
through the water quite fast, it did not prevent the 
Cape pigeons from keeping up to us with ease, and 
flying by the quarter so that we could almost touch 
them with our hands. We did not like to shoot them, 
and have them fall in the water where we could not 
save them: we were above such sport as that; but 
we did want to get a number of them so as to pre- 
serve their beautiful skins and feathers, and to tow 
some of their heads astern till the bones should be as 
white and clean as snow. It was no use fishing for 
them, we were going too fast. 

All at once a brilliant idea struck me, for us to 
have some fun and accomplish our desires. 

“Look here, Mr. Frisbee, what is to prevent us 
making some bows and arrows, and shooting these 
fellows as they pass by the quarter? We can easily 
make good bows out of the hemlock scantling that 
the carpenter uses for battens.” 

“Well, that is an idea. Captain,” replied he; “but 
how should we be any better off shooting, them with 
arrows than with shot ? ” 


BOWS AND AKKOWS FOB CAPE PIGEONS 203 


“ Oh, I did not explain myself as I should have 
done. My idea is to have each arrow fitted with a 
straightened-out fish-hook to enter the bird and hold 
him when hit, and also with a string fastened to the 
shank by which each arrow can be recovered after it 
is shot. I am aware that we could not use these 
weapons with a string dragging behind them with 
much success, if we had to make long shots; but 
you must remember that we shall shoot at these 
birds when they are not more than five or six feet 
away, 'and I feel confident that we can make it work. 
What do you say? ” 

“I say it’s a big thing,” exclaimed Mr. Frisbee, 
“and I know it will work. Why, of course we can’t 
help hitting them after a little practice, and we shall 
have the satisfaction of capturing all we hit, and thus 
avoid any cruelty. 

And to work we went making bows and arrows. 
The carpenter was sent for, and he soon supplied us 
with the necessary material, and helped us fashion 
two long strips of hemlock into quite respectable 
bows. We did not attempt to fit the arrows with 
feather guides, the birds that we were to shoot at 
would be so near . that they would be of no use in 
perfecting the flight of the arrows. We went to the 
galley, and, by heating a few large cod-hooks in the 
fire, were able to straighten them out so as to serve 
as liarpoons on the end of each arrow. 

Near the notched end that was to fit on the bow- 


204 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


string we fastened a light but strong piece of line 
about twenty feet long, to use in pulling the bird 
aboard with, when they were struck by the hook in 
the end of the arrow. 

It took but an hour or two to have everything in 
readiness, and at the end of that time Mr. Frisbee 
and myself found ourselves in possession of two 
good bows with three arrows each for our contem- 
plated sport. 

All this time the Cape pigeons in great numbers, 
and other birds in lesser, were continually crossing 
our wake, and flying by the quarter almost within 
reach of one’s hand. 

To work we went; but it was not so easy to hit 
them as we had supposed : what with the wind, the 
motion of the vessel, and our want of practice, we 
were not very successful. We found when we came 
to shoot at them that they seemed farther off than we 
had supposed, and arrow after arrow dropped harm- 
lessly into the ocean, and had to be hauled on board 
again by the string attached to it, before we were 
able to hit one of them. However, we persevered, 
and had great fun with each other on account of our 
want of skill. 

“ It would never do for you to hunt Indians with 
that bow, Mr. Frisbee,” said I; “they’d have your 
scalp fifty times before you hit one of them.” 

“Well,” retorted he, “I don’t see as you do any 
better. Captain. I don’t think you could hit the side 


SHOOTING CAPE PIGEONS WITH ARROWS 205 


of a barn door, set up ten feet away, if what you 
have done so far is a specimen of your skill.” 

“Well, I might not, if it was set up edge on,” 
said I. 

And thus we joked each other till, by a lucky or 
skilful shot, I hit one of the passing Cape pigeons 
full in the side. Down he went into the water, and 
I dropped the bow and commenced pulling in on the 
arrow line. The hook or harpoon held firmly, as I 
was convinced it would, and in a moment or two 
more I had the first Cape pigeon on deck. 

As we kept on practising we became more ex- 
pert, and Mr. Frisbee soon captured one also, and 
it was not very long before we had quite a number of 
Cape pigeons and one booby on deck. We could not 
hit them easily, and there was just enough difficulty 
in the pastime to make it fascinating and not tire- 
some. However, after a while, we had all we wanted 
of the sport, and put our bows away for another day, 
perfectly satisfied with our success on this our first 
trial. I may as well say here that during our trip 
round the Cape we, on several opportune occasions, 
got out our bows and captured some of these beauti- 
ful birds, whose skins we carefully preserved and 
whose flesh served as food for the dogs, which, 
although they did not greatly relish, they evidently 
liked better than the salt fare that we were compelled 
to give them on other occasions. 


206 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER XIV. 

THE captain’s YARN, A SAILOR’S HOLIDAY.” A 

CALM DAY, LOWER THE BOAT TO SKETCH THE BARK. 

A GREAT day’s SPORT SHOOTING ALBATROSS FROM 

AN OPEN BOAT. CHARGE A MYRIAD OF BIRDS, AND 

FIND THEM FEEDING ON THE REMAINS OF A GIGAN- 
TIC SQUID, WHICH IN LIFE MUST HAVE FAR EX- 
CEEDED THE SIZE OF ANY WHALE; OR, IN FACT, OF 
ANY KNOWN ANIMAL THAT HAS EVER INHABITED 
THE EARTH. 

“Come, Captain,” said Mr. Frisbee to me one 
evening when we were sitting in the cabin with noth- 
ing to do, it being too cold to stay on deck with any 
comfort, “ you know you are under bonds for a yarn, 
and you might as well spin it now as at any other 
time.” 

“ Well, I don’t see how I can get out of it, so here 
goes. Would you like to hear about one of my boy- 
ish scrapes when I first went to sea, and on my first 
voyage round the Horn? ” 

“ Why, of course I should,” said Mr. Frisbee. 
“Well,! will call my yarn A Sailor’s Holiday,” 
said T, and commenced as follows : — 

“We had just arrived in ’Frisco after a long’^pas- 


I STEER THE CLIPPER SHIP 


207 


K 

sage round the Horn in the famous clipper ship 
Neptune’s Favorite, Captain Oliver Lane, in 185- 
ancl right glad were we to sight the golden gates that 
guard the entrance to this magnificent haibor. 

“When I say after a long passage, I do not mean 
to say that the voyage was not a good one for a clip- 
per ship ; namely, one hundred and seventeen days 
from New York ; but I mean to imply that we were 
all tired of hard-tack and old horse, and longed for 
the land and change of diet and scene. 

“ I was only a boy on board at that time, but pretty 
well grown and sixteen years of age, and understood 
my sea duties fairly well, being accounted a good 
man at the wheel, young as I was. It is quite a knack 
to be able to steer a large vessel in a heavy sea, run- 
ning before the wind, and it does not take so much 
strength as judgment in moving the wheel at the 
right time to keep the vessel from yawing and coming 
up into the wind, which would be an exceedingly 
disastrous occurrence if it were permitted. My 
proudest day was off the Falkland Islands, near Cape 
Horn, when Captain Lane, dissatisfied with the steer- 
ing of some of the oldest seamen on board, called 
out, ‘ Send that boy aft. I want to see if he can’t 
steer this ship as she should be.’ Aft I came, 
trembling in every limb, and took the weather wheel, 
with a seaman on the lee-side to assist me in turning 
the spokes. I was afraid of the captain, and fright- 
ened *to death at the honor ; but in a moment or two, 


208 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


as the vast hull obeyed with an almost human 
instinct the slightest movements of the rudder, I 
became more at ease, and at the encouraging words of 
Captain Lane of ‘ There ! that’s the way to steer a 
ship,’ I regained my usual composure, and stood 
manfully at the Avheel for full four hours before he 
would permit me to be relieved. After this my 
rating and treatment in the vessel were very much 
improved. You see, I had been used to small boats 
all my life, and the captain knew it, and, although 
only a boy, made a good choice in selecting me when 
running before a fresh gale, with a foretopmast 
studding-sail set. 

“ But to my yarn. When we arrived in San Fran- 
cisco we, of course, sailor-like, wanted to go on shore ; 
but in those days sailors were so scarce, and deserted 
in such large numbers to go to the mines, that we 
were not permitted to go beyond the head of the 
wharf in the daytime, and not allowed on shore at all 
at night. This did not suit me, and I therefore 
started a little conspiracy to see the country. It was 
in the month of May, wlien we had both fine and 
rainy days. From where we worked on deck we 
could see, out towards what was called the Mission 
road, a bridge over a river, and beyond open country. 
I was determined to explore it. On board I had a 
double-barrelled gun and considerable ammunition. 
I had not been able to shoot it once during the whole 
voyage, on account of the etiquette maintainetl at 


PLOT TO STEAL ASHORE 


209 


sea, and I was eager to try it on the game of Cali- 
fornia. Around the mizzenmast in the cabin were 
arranged some U.S. muskets, and I knew where the 
ammunition for the same was in the run, down aft. 
One Saturday afternoon we made our plan, knowing 
that there would be no work on Sunday, to steal 
ashore after dark, and come back to the ship early 
Sunday night. We did not intend to desert the ship, 
and the whole affair was only a frolic. I took into 
my confidence, boy-like, the two strangest compan- 
ions : one, the carpenter of the ship, a young Irish- 
man, a perfect master of his trade, but as green as 
grass in everything except working with tools, who 
had never seen a firearm discharged in his life, I 
verily believe ; and one of the sailors called Pete, a 
Norwegian, who could speak only broken English at 
the best, and had been on the water all his life long. 
With these two the plot was concocted. I had not 
one cent of money, and they just as little. I 
‘ abstracted ’ the ammunition for the musket during 
the day, and the musket itself just after dark from 
the rack round the mizzenmast. These were hidden 
in the carpenter’s room, situated in the after part of 
the forward house. I then got my gun out of my 
chest, and put it together, and selected the ammuni- 
tion ; and, after all was arranged, what should happen 
but it began to pour in torrents, as it can in Califor- 
nia when it has a mind to. This, even, did not deter 
us, however, but, instead of wearing our best -go- 


210 


LOO OF THE MARYLAND 


ashore clothes, we quietly rigged out in our so’west- 
ers, oilskin suits, and sea-boots. 

“ Thus equipped, at about eight o’clock we stole 
noiselessly ashore, and started for the head of the 
wharf. We knew enough not to attempt to get into 
the streets, however, in that manner, for the night- 
watchman would stop us. 

“ The rain was, after all, a benefit to us, for it is 
doubtful if we should have been able to get ashore 
at all without it, as there was supposed to be an 
officer on the quarter-deck of our vessel keeping 
watch, but in the rain we easily evaded him. In 
fact, to tell the truth, we watched till he went below 
to light his pipe, and then made a rush quickly but 
quietly over the forechains, and jumped ashore. 

“ This was to have been our plan even if it had 
been pleasant, for we knew the habits of Second 
Mate Cottle pretty well, and knew he would go 
below once in a while to light his pipe ; but, as I have 
said, the torrents of rain made our escape perfectly 
easy. As we approached the head of the wharf, 
keeping in shadow and out of the light shed from 
various shops and stores and the lanterns of the 
watchmen at the closed gateways, we made a detour 
to the left to some steps leading down to the water, 
where we knew some skiffs arid small boats were 
fastened, for we could see them plainly from the ship 
and wharf each day while at work. 

“ We easily succeeded in cutting one of them 


ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE BRIDGE 211 

adrift, and, keeping in alongside the pier and inside, 
we made for the next pier, and, passing under that, 
groped along for a landing-place that was unguarded. 

‘‘ W e finally found one little patch of beach, and, 
scrambling out and tying up the skiff to one of the 
piles, we made our way into one of the back streets, 
and from thence to the bridge across the river. The 
streets were deserted, the rain was so heavy, but we 
marched up and were preparing to cross, when out 
pounced a man from a little lighted sentry-box. 

“ ‘ Toll, please.’ 

“ ‘ Why, then it was a toll-bridge, hey ? ’ 

“ ‘ Yes.’ 

“ ‘ Well, we didn’t know it.’ 

“ ‘ Can’t help it ; you must pay a “ bit ” each, or 
you can’t go over.’ 

“ So, having no money, we slunk back, and the 
man retired into his den. The river was not very 
wide, and we went down into the mud on each side 
of the bridge to inspect it and see if we could not wade 
across ; but it was too wide for that, and we could find 
no boat. All this time it was raining like fury. 

“ ‘ I’m not going to be beat,’ said- I to the carpen- 
ter, after we had groped around in the mud for half 
an hour. ‘ That fellow must be asleep by this time, 
and if we go up on the further side, and you don’t 
clatter with those confounded sea-boots of yours, 
Pete, we can steal across, and he will never know it.’ 

“No sooner said than done. We crept up the 


212 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


embankment on the further side from the sentry-box, 
on our hands and knees, and in that posture made 
some headway on to the bridge, which was a covered 
structure, and dark as Erebus, till we had passed 
beyond the rays of light shed from the sentry-box, 
when we got upon our feet, and made a dash for the . 
other side and liberty. 

“We never stopped to see whether the man came 
out to catch us or not, but ran, panting till we 
were out of breath, far beyond the bridge with the 
twinkling lights of the city in our rear, and the open 
country before us. 

“ Where we silly coots wandered that night, 
through rain and mud, we shall never know. We 
remember, however, one or two peculiar incidents of 
the evening. One was that we finally, in the dark- 
ness, ran upon a lonely house, and, creeping under 
the veranda, were congratulating ourselves upon 
finishing the night there, under shelter from the rain, 
when Pete had to clatter with his clumsy sea-boots, 
at which a dog in the building set up a most terrific 
barking, and out we scooted into the darkness, just 
as a window above was opened, and a flash from a 
pistol told us plainly that we were not wanted. In 
fact, I have often thought since that if we had been 
captured with the gun and musket in -our hands, all 
the swearing in the world would not have cleared us 
from the suspicion that we were there to burglarize 
that house ; and I am afraid any jury then in Cali- 


FLOUNDERING IN THE WATER AT NIGHT 213 


fornia would have condemned us on the evidence we 
ourselves presented. 

“ The next thing that happened was that we found 
ourselves wading round in about three or four inches 
of water, and evidently in some place invaded by 
the sea, and, walk as we might, we could not get out 
of it, and worse than all, there being no stars or 
light, could not see what direction we were pursuing, 
or whether we were going out towards the sea, or 
gaining the shore ; and the water finally got to be 
fully a foot deep, and we were in sore perplexity, 
but we floundered on till by sheer luck we found the 
water decreasing, and came to a slight activity, and 
up this we clambered with thankful hearts. 

“ By this time we calculated it must be long past 
midnight, and we could scarcely drag one foot after 
the other, we were so completely fagged out. The 
rain had finally somewhat ceased, and there was a 
feeling as if the storm was about over, and it was 
evidently trying hard to clear up. At this time we 
found ourselves on the side of quite a hill, which 
we kept climbing up, being very glad to put some 
distance between us and the water we had been 
stumbling about in. 

“ All at once we saw several large rocks quite near, 
and the carpenter declared that he would not go a 
step farther till morning, and sat down on one him- 
self to rest; but for real frights you should have 
seen both him and us, but he in particular, when. 


214 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


with a loud snort, his rock upon which he had just 
sat down rose up into the air. The poor carpenter, 
with an Irish oath, made one dash down the hillside, 
and Pete and I dashed up the hill with all our might ; 
but as I ran my brain worked, and it came to me 
that the carpenter had been sitting down on a lying- 
down cow or steer, and such was the case. As soon 
as my reason convinced me of this I came to a halt, 
and told Pete, who was struggling after me in abject 
fear, what it was, and that there was no danger. 
And then we commenced bellowing for the carpenter, 
who had run till the water stopped him, or he would 
be running now. Finally we made him understand 
what he had been sitting down upon, and by going 
half-way toward him, guided by each other’s voice, 
we again came together; but the carpenter’s nerves 
were terribly shaken, and his teeth chattered with 
fear. 

“ ‘ May the devil fly away with you, Frisbee, and 
this enchanted country ! ’ said he ; ‘ and if I get safe 
back to the ship again, you’ll catch me hunting no 
more in California.’ 

“Soon after this it began perceptibly to clear up, 
and the rain ceased entirely, and we Anally reached 
an elevation where there were real rocks, and beside 
these we Anally lay down and slept the sleep of 
the innocent till the morning sun in our faces woke 
us up. Oh, what a magniflcent view and lovely 
day ! Fronting us was the sea, and to the left the 


SHOOT AN lEISH SNAKE 


215 


city of San Francisco, distant a few miles, and to 
the right the beautiful open country. It was here 
again that the carpenter got into another scrape, for 
all at once over he went backwards down the hill, 
crying out, — 

“ ‘ Snake, snake ! don’t you see the cuss beyant 
there on the rock ? ’ and tired as we were, he fright- 
ened Pete and myself so that we followed him a 
hundred yards or so, before we mustered courage to 
come to a standstill. 

‘‘ ‘ Well, even if it is a snake, we can shoot it,’ said 
I, ‘ so let’s go back ; ’ and with caution we approached 
the stack of rocks where we had been sleeping. 

“ ‘ There, on that rock beyant, don’t you see his 
dirty head peeking over ? ’ and sure enough it was so, 
and in a moment my gun was to my shoulder and 
the discharge followed. With . caution we went 
round the bowlder to see how it fared with his snake- 
ship. At first we could find nothing, but finally I 
picked up at the base of the rock a poor little harm- 
less lizard with his head blown off. 

‘‘‘And be jabers, and didn’t I say it was an en- 
chanted country, where the snakes has feets as well 
as a tail,’ said the carpenter. 

“With the imprudence of sailors we had brought 
nothing to eat. That morning, moving down to 
the seaside, we sat and shot gulls, loons, shags, and 
ducks, till we had all we could carry, and then 
started for home. After a long and weary walk. 


216 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


with Pete loaded down like a pack-mule with game, 
we came near to our old enemy the bridge, but just 
about a mile before we reached there we passed an 
immense piggery, and I am not ashamed to say that, 
when they were feeding the swine with large masses 
of boiled corn, that we surreptitiously abstracted a 
handful from the trough to stay our craving hunger. 
When we came to the bridge we knew that we 
couldn’t pay the toll, so, being low water, we waded 
across about up to our middle in black dock mud, 
and came out on the other side, upon the fashionable 
Sunday promenade, at about 5 p.m. ; and, dressed in 
oilskins, covered with mud, and Pete loaded down 
with the game, we were the sight of the season ; and 
hundreds of daintily dressed ladies and elegantly 
costumed gentlemen turned to gaze at us, and some 
ran to accost us, but with a quick and nervous reply 
we pushed on for the ship, nearl}^ dead with hunger 
and fatigue. When we arrived, I got as good a 
talking to from Captain Lane as ever a boy got ; but 
he was evidently too glad to get us back to say as 
much as he otherwise would, for he really thought 
we had deserted, and was at first unwilling to believe 
my story. My gun was taken from me, and my 
liberty stopped. The carpenter took to his bed for 
two days, and Pete was, really, quite seriously ill 
with a fever. But when, a few weeks after, we were 
scudding before the gentle trade winds on our pas- 
sage to Shanghai, China, what fun we had talking 


A CALM OFF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 217 


over this scrape ! and the crew never got tired of 
hearing how the carpenter sat down on a cow, and 
discovered a snake with legs.” 

‘‘Well, Captain, that’s a queer yarn,” said Mr. 
Frisbee; “but it’s a very interesting one. As you 
say, you’d have been in a nice mess if you had been 
captured in the night-time with those arms in your 
hands, you would have had a hard time convincing a 
Californian of your innocence. That getting caught in 
the water was no laughing matter, I can well conceive, 
and enough to make a man’s hair turn gray in one 
night. I should like to have been with you the next 
morning when you had the shooting, but I should 
not have cared to thrash around all night as you did, 
or to have suffered from hunger as you must have 
done. Now we’ve got one yarn out of you. Captain, 
but I expect many more before the voyage is up, and 
I hope they will be as good as this one, for which I 
am certainly much obliged.” And bidding me good- 
night he went to his stateroom to turn in. 

A few days after this we had a succession of light 
winds, and one day it fell perfectly calm, as much so 
as if we were on the equator, rather than near the 
Cape of Good Hope. There were not very many 
birds in sight, in fact, there seldom is in very calm 
weather, the reason for which I leave to wiser heads 
than mine, except, I think, that they do not like to fly 
in calm weather, having no wind to sustain them in 
their floating through the air without the use of their 


218 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


wingSj of which I * have before spoken. However, 
whatever the cause, there were very few in sight. 
Once in a while we saw an albatross scaling along 
near the horizon, but no great number of them. 

As the bark lay thrashing about in the swell of the 
great Southern Atlantic ocean, with not a breath of 
wind, we were at a loss to know what to do to while 
away the time, till Mr. Frisbee proposed that we 
should lower the boat, and take a short cruise to see 
what we could observe or find. 

“ Perhaps we may get a shot. Captain ; let’s take 
our guns,” said Mr. Frisbee. 

“ A good idea. There’s no knowing what may hap- 
pen, and it is always handy to have firearms near 
one.” 

The boat was soon ready, and in jumped Louis 
Allonio and Hans Speiler to row us. 

We pulled away a short distance from the bark, 
and then lay on our oars to get a good view of her, 
it being always a mild excit'ement at sea to be able 
to get out of the vessel that you are sailing in to see 
how she looks. To be sure, we had been able to do 
this on many occasions in the Maryland, but it still 
was a pleasure, although we had indulged in it no 
later ago than when we landed at St. Helena. 

We stopped this time for a particular purpose, to 
give Mr. Frisbee and myself a chance to take a new 
sketch of the old bark, so as to make other pictures 
of her when we again got on board. As I have said. 


SHOOTING ALBATROSS FROM A BOAT 219 


when we left the vessel there did not seem to be a 
bird within miles of us, but we did not pay very 
much attention to that fact at first, for we were taken 
up with our sketching, and we had an excellent 
opportunity to take accurate pictures of the bark, of 
which we were very glad to avail ourselves, and 
found no difficulty in taking her in several different 
positions. It was while so occupied that, casting my 
eyes around me, I saw a huge albatross almost upon us. 
With a cry to Mr. Frisbee, to attract his attention, 
I stooped down and seized my gun, and, giving the 
albatross both barrels, had the satisfaction of seeing 
him fall stone dead and breast up on the smooth 
waters of the peaceful ocean. This put a quick stop 
to our sketching, and the sailors dipped in their oars 
to pull towards the albatross ; but just as we were 
about to pick him up, Lo and behold ! along came 
another to see what the first one had found that had 
made him alight so suddenly, and, as he came within 
gunshot, down he came to Mr. Frisbee’s first barrel, 
dead as a door-nail. It did not take us long to find 
out that we had only to let these birds lie on the 
bosom of the ocean, and every bird within sight would 
“call” to them to see what was the matter exactly as 
to decoys set for that very purpose. The funny part 
of it was, that they paid not the slightest attention 
to us, and often came so near that we had to wait for 
them to sheer off before we could get a shot. 

Never was such sport seen. It was load and fire, 


220 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


and after we had killed five or six albatrosses, along 
came birds of a lesser size, to whom we gave the same 
reception. After the first grand flight there was a 
cessation for a short time, and we had a chance to 
look about us. There lay eleven albatrosses, three 
brown birds, five goonies, four Cape pigeons, and two 
Mother Carey’s chickens, bestrewing the face of old 
ocean in all directions. We commenced to pick them 
up, leaving a few for decoys for others. 

What a strange situation ! In a frail boat in the 
middle of the ocean, shooting down birds, as if in 
some nobleman’s preserve. We had not very long 
to wait before they commenced to again approach us, 
but in diminished numbers, and at last, in a more 
cautious manner, and we had to show better marks- 
manship to get our last birds than we did in the 
beginning. Finally, the flight ceased, and well it was 
for us, as we had used up all our ammunition. Of 
course, we did not kill every bird we shot at, or we 
should have had a hundred ; we did not pretend to 
be as good marksmen as that, but we both handled 
our guns quite well, having been used to firearms 
from childhood, and really made good execution. 
Some of our shot's were very fine, and,- as might have 
been expected in such an exciting time, some very 
poor. Oftentimes we missed our bird when we 
should have killed him, and at other times killed 
them at distances almost beyond belief. 

We decided when we got on board that honors 


COUNTING THE GAME BAGGED 


221 


were about evenly divided, and we were sustained in 
this opinion by what we heard from the mates. They 
had been able to see all the sport from the decks, and 
were delighted at our exhibition of skill. Of course, 
it served as a theme for joking for a long time after- 
wards between Mr. Frisbee and myself, and I would 
often plague him about some good shot that he missed, 
and he would retaliate. When we had counted all our 
birds on the deck of the Maryland, we found we had 
this enormous bag : eighteen albatrosses, one of whose 
wings measured nine feet four inches, from tip to tip ; 
seven brown birds, or smaller albatrosses as some call 
them ; eleven goonies ; thirteen Cape pigeons ; four 
Mother Carey’s chickens ; and three nondescripts, 
all shot within two and one-half hours, a feat I am 
willing to predict will not soon be beaten, if even 
equalled. 

Soon after we arrived back I brought up my sex- 
tant and took a look at the sun ; for it was evidently 
gelbting near noon, and it was necessary to find our 
position on the waste of waters. 

It gradually crept up to its nearest point to zenith, 
and I was soon able to announce eight bells and 
dinner. 

Mr. Frisbee, the mate, and myself seated ourselves 
at the table with good appetites, and Julius served us 
bountifully from the galley, and Chineyboy handed 
the plates and viands. 

“ What shall we do this afternoon ? ” said Mr. 


222 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Frisbee, who evidently feared a tiresome time till 
bedtime. 

“ I hardly know,” replied I ; “we seem to have 
exterminated the birds ; and even if there were more 
to be found, I think both you and I have had our fill 
of the sport, and we don’t want any more of it, at 
least for some time to come.” 

“ That’s so ; but we’ve got to do something to while 
away the time, for it’s awful lonesome thrashing 
about here with no wind.” 

“ Well, we’ll find something to amuse us after din- 
ner,” said I. “ Don’t you worry.” 

“ Well, if there don’t anything exciting turn up, I 
can give Mr. Cutter a lesson in arithmetic, and tackle 
you at a game of chess afterwards,” exclaimed Mr. 
Frisbee. 

“ I’m all ready for you ; and Mr. Cutter, I know, is 
always ready to suck in information in the shape of 
any kind of an arithmetical problem.” 

“ That I am,” said the mate, “ and thankful and 
ready at all times whenever I can get the chance, sir. 
You see,” continued he, “ that I did not have the 
opportunity that you gentlemen had to study in my 
youth. No, sir; I had to go to work at a very early 
age to earn my living; and although I, of course, had 
some schooling, it was just enough to prove to me 
that I don’t know anything ; and I am only too will- 
ing to learn all that Mr. Frisbee is willing to teach 


A DEAD CALM 


223 


“Well, I have no doubt but wbat Mr. Frisbee is 
well pleased to help you ; and it will certainly be of 
great assistance to you in aiding you to learn naviga- 
tion, so as to one day command a ship yourself. 
Come, if you are all finished, let’s go on deck.” 

When we arrived there, we found the same calm 
and smooth ocean, unruffled by a breath of air, and 
even the ground swell considerably lessened by the 
continued dead calm. 

We walked the deck for a little while, wondering 
what in the world we should do to amuse ourselves 
for the remainder of the da}^ 

As for myself, I cared little how long the calm 
weather might hold on, for I liked it. It enabled us 
to do many things that we could not do at any other 
time ; but I presume it was extremely unprofes- 
sional for me to feel so. 1 should, I suppose, have 
longed for wind to waft us on our way, but I didn’t ; 
I liked the calm too well. 

Mr. Frisbee, the mates, and even the crew, were 
much more eager to have the bark move along on her 
way to the end of her voyage. 

But, as it happened, we all of us were controlled 
by a greater power than our own will, and had to 
content ourselves with what we received, whether we 
liked it or not. 

As we walked up and down the deck, watching 
the crew at their usual daily tasks in light weather, 
of mending sails and splicing ropes, we began to find 


224 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


the time hanging heavily on our hands ; and I was 
about to propose to Mr. Frisbee that we go below and 
play that game of chess, which would take up the 
time till the mate’s watch was over, and he could 
receive the promised lesson in arithmetic, when Mr. 
Cutter called our attention to a mass of birds that 
had escaped our notice till this moment, well on the 
port beam, and at least three or four miles away. 

I soon had the glass upon them, and saw plainly 
that there was something in the water upon which 
they were feeding with avidity. What could it be ? 
The glass failed to show me anything floating on the 
ocean, and yet these birds were making the fiercest 
plunges into the water, and fighting each other in the 
air. Could it be a dead whale ? I had heard of such 
things ; but, if it was a whale,, it seemed near enough 
for us to see some part of it in the water, even at 
that distance. 

“ I can’t make out what it is,” said I, “ but we’ll 
soon find out. Man the quarter-boat, sir.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” said Mr. Jones, the second mate, 
whose watch it was on deck. “ Lay aft here, you, 
Dee-Dong and Flynn, and man the boat.” 

Mr. Frisbee and I jumped in with a couple of guns 
and a harpoon, and started for the distant birds. 

Instead of decreasing, the flock was being rapidly 
augmented by the addition of numerous others, and 
was fast assuming vast proportions. It was exactly 
such a scene as one reads of as taking place on the 


mSTlKCT OF BIRDS 


225 


prairies of the West, where, after a bison is killed, 
and while he is being dressed by the hunters, the air 
will suddenly contain a number of turkey-buzzards, 
or vultures, flying overhead, waiting to receive their 
feast when the carcass of the slain bison is abandoned. 
But where did they come from? is the question. Not 
one is to be seen in the limitless ether before the 
bison is killed, and the view is not obstructed by a 
single tree or brush, and there is no elevation from 
which they can view their surroundings, or descend 
upon their fallen prey. 

Until the game lies dead upon the prairie grass, 
these scavenger birds are rarely seen ; but the 
moment there is any blood split, they appear from all 
directions by some unknown instinct that the science 
of man has not yet been able to fathom. The same 
thing happens at sea, both off the two great southern 
capes, and also on the banks of Newfoundland, and 
in the Arctic Ocean. Whenever a whale is killed, as 
a rule, there will not be at the time a single bird in 
sight; but he will scarcely have reddened the water 
with his blood from the thrust of the lance, than 
myriads of birds will appear — from where, nobody 
has yet been able to say, or by what instinct they are 
attracted; but that they are attracted is an undis- 
puted though unaccountable fact. 

Such was the case in the present instance. When 
we went to dinner, possibly two hours ago, I do not 
believe that with a spy-glass to swe'ep the horizon in 


226 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


every conceivable direction, five birds could have 
been discovered ; while now there were, at the least 
calculation, a thousand in plain sight. Where did 
they come from ? Let science answer. 

It was very easy to understand by this time that 
there was some kind of attractive food floating on 
the ocean, that had called this vast flock together by 
the marvellous instinct with which they had been 
endowed by their Creator ; and, as we pulled towards 
them, I became more and more curious to know what 
it was. 

But we should soon see ; for the sailors were pull- 
ing with a will, liking the novel exercise, and the 
ocean was as smooth as a mill-pond. Mr. Frisbee 
agreed with me, that it would be simply murder to 
fire a gun into this mass of birds, so we made up our 
minds not to fire except in case of emergency, or for 
the purpose of protecting ourselves in case we should 
be attacked, for some of these larger birds are quite 
ferocious, and do not readily give up their prey to 
any one, unless obliged to by superior force. 

After fully an hour’s pull we arrived near to them, 
but could not for the life of us discover what they 
were feeding upon; but the sputtering, squalling, 
growling, and fighting was terrific, and all hands 
were evidently having a great feast. 

They paid not the slightest attention to us as we 
approached, and flew about witliin a few feet of our 
heads without the least sign of timidity or fear. It 


DEIVING OFF THE BIKDS 


227 


was the same old crowd that we had seen in the wake 
of the Maryland for the last ten days ; that is to say, 
there did not seem to be any new species of birds 
among those with which we were surrounded. The 
flock was made up of the largest-sized albatrosses, 
with hundreds of birds of lesser size, ending up with 
the graceful Mother Carey chicken. 

Standing up in the boat, and taking the oars as 
weapons to beat off the myriads of birds that sur- 
rounded us, we made our way slowly to the centre of 
the quarrelling, flghting, and sputtering mass that 
were plunging their bills under water, and beating 
each other with their strong wings in their wild 
endeavor to get their share of what appeared to us, 
at first, exactly like a great mass of floating snow, of 
a slightly yellowish tinge, submerged in the ocean. 

What in the world could the thing be? Some 
small portions had become detached by the furious 
onslaughts of the birds, and were floating on the sur- 
face where it was easy to secure one of them. I 
reached over the side of the boat, and seized a piece 
as large as a good-sized apple. Mr. Frisbee and I 
attempted to examine it while the sailors used the 
oars to keep us from being beaten to death with the 
wings of the angry and reckless birds that surrounded 
us on all sides, sj)lashing us with water and alighting 
alongside the boat. 

But I had to give the order to back out of the 
vortex and let the birds feed, before we could get a 


228 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


chance to examine, in any sort of peace or quietness, 
the portion I had picked out of the water. 

At a distance from the scene of conflict, we sat 
down to examine it. It was of the consistency and 
color of that delicious edible often served at dessert 
called blanc-mange ; and if any of my readers do not 
by chance happen to know that dish, I will say that 
it looked like a piece of fine white salt pork, except 
that in consistency it was like soft soap or wine- 
jelly, only somewhat stiffer and more compact. 

It certainly was not whale ; it was too white, and 
not of the same substance as either whale’s blubber 
or flesh. In vain I racked my brain to remember 
where I had seen just such a substance, somewhere in 
my youthful days. Of this I was positive : I had seen 
this jelly-like substance before, — I was sure of it, as 
sure as I lived, — and was provoked at myself that I 
could not remember when and where. I had not the 
slightest suspicion that Mr. Frisbee could help me, 
till I was thunderstruck to hear him say, — 

‘‘ Why, Captain, that looks and feels exactly like 
those dead squid we used to pick up in the seaweed 
in D Bay, in our boyhood days.” 

“ And that’s exactly what it is,” said I. 

At these words of mine, Mr. Frisbee burst into a 
laugh, and even the sailors had hard work to keep 
their faces straight. 

“Why, Captain,” said Mr. Frisbee, “that thing 
out there is at least thirty feet long, and from what 


IS IT AN ENORMOUS SQUID? 


229 


we saw I don’t believe that it is even the whole of 
the animal. Who ever heard of a squid forty feet 
long?” And in spite of my being Captain of the 
Maryland, off he went again into an uncontrollable 
fit of laughter, in which the two sailors evidently 
desired very much to join him. 

“ When you have got done laughing,” said I, 
slightly provoked, “ perhaps you will be willing to 
be informed that it has for a long time been asserted 
by whalers, that the largest known living thing on 
this earth is a squid ; and to maintain this assertion, 
many yarns have been told by reputable masters of 
whale-ships of having passed, while under sail, pieces 
of fiesh probably like this we now see, or to have 
picked up masses of it, which by its configuration 
and outline proved conclusively that the creature of 
which it was a part must have been of enormous 
size and length ; but these true stories of the brave 
men who face the perils of the deep have not received 
the attention that they should. (Mr. Frisbee had 
long since ceased laughing and was listening with 
attention). I myself, now that you have named the 
creature, remember distinctly passing by a large piece 
of just such a substance off Cape Horn in the Nep- 
tune’s Favorite, Captain Oliver Lane, in my first 
voyage round the cape. We were hove to, and this 
piece of what seemed like a mass of submerged snow 
floated past us not a fathom distant. There were no 
birds around it, however, and there was a great deal 


230 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


of talk amongst the crew as to what it was. I saw it 
X^lainly, and have no hesitation in pronouncing it the 
same substance as that which I now hold in my hand. 
Yes, sir, you may make up your mind that that piece 
of flesh lying there is part of an enormous squid, and 
you and I are going to examine it, and calculate, as 
well as we can, the full size of the animal of which it 
formed a part before he was mutilated.” 

There was no longer any laughter, and nothing but 
a sincere desire to ascertain all we could about this 
strange animal or substance. 

Although having a fishy smell, the pieces we picked 
up to preserve in alcohol did not stink, and were not 
in a putrid state. 

We spent at least two hours in measuring and 
examinyig our strange find, bothered almost to death 
by the birds that got in our way and flew in our 
faces; but taking the oars, which we knew to be 
twelve feet in length, as a standard, we figured out 
the following dimensions for the giant squid. The 
part that was before us was thirty-seven feet in length, 
and evidently once formed the portion lying between 
the after part of the animal and the tail ; we found on 
it the spot, so we thought, where the tail, or rather pro- 
pelling fins, commenced ; and from the size and propor- 
tions of the portion under our view, I have not the 
slightest hesitation in stating that the entire creature 
must have been not less than one hundred and 
eighty feet in length, and very possibly two hundred ; 


GIGANTIC SIZE OF THE SQUID 


231 


and Mr. Frisbee agreed with me in these dimensions ; 
and I even condescended to ask the two sailors, Dee- 
Dong and Flynn, and one of them said he must have 
been as long as the Maryland, and the other, over five 
hundred feet. 

This last answer of Flynn made us laugh, and was 
such as has formed the basis of many a sea-yarn. 

As we pulled towards the vessel, Mr. Frisbee asked, 
“ How do you account for so many of these enormous 
squid being seen dead ? One would think that they 
were big enough to take care of themselves, being, as 
we have proved, the largest living creatures of the 
whole earth.” 

‘‘ Ah ! there’s a seemingly difficult point, which is, 
however, easily gotten over,” said I. “ The sperm- 
whale is known to have twenty-five large teeth on 
each side of the lower jaw ; and, of course, you have 
seen them on some sailor’s mantlepiece at home or in 
some museum. Now, it is also known by actual 
inspection, that the sperm-whale feeds on a species 
of sea-shrimp, medusae, and squids of the usual 
size, and there are plenty of stories extant that 
pieces of just such a substance as we have secured 
have been found in their stomach, for you probably 
know that the gullet of a sperm-whale is large enough 
to take down a man, while that of the right- whale 
does not exceed three or four inches in diamter. 
Some go so far as to assert that this substance is the 
base from which ambergris is formed, found only in 


232 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


the intestines of the sperm-whale. Now, my theory 
is that these large squid are easily killed when 
attacked by sperm-whales, who go in schools; and 
these poor squid, although gigantic in size, seem to 
be without any defence against their enemies, as much 
so as their little brothers of six inches in length, and 
seem, like them, to be made only as dainty bait for 
larger fish. I think these squid are killed by sperm- 
whales, who, after they have gorged themselves, 
leave them to float around to be devoured by birds 
and smaller fishes.” 

“Well, I think you have established an excellent 
theory,” said Mr. Frisbee, as we approached the old 
Maryland, and I gave the order, “ Way enough.” 

A little breeze had sprung uj) during the last fif- 
teen minutes, and I saw that our unusual calm was 
at an end. The wind increased gradually; and at 
eight bells in the evening we were bowling along at 
the rate of seven knots with a fair wind, and a fore- 
topmast stun’-sail set on the port side, sliding along 
around the Cape of Good Hope. 


FOURTH OF JULY AT SEA 


233 


CHAPTER. XV. 

FOURTH OF JULY AT SEA. SALUTING THE FLAG. BIG- 

GUN PRACTICE. THE MATE’s LUCKY SHOT. — SHOOT- 

ING AT A MARK WITH THE MUSKETS. — CUTLASS DRILL 

ON THE MAIN DECK. DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS. 

THE MARINE BRASS BAND. 

For the last ten days, at least, there had quietly 
been making, by everybody, great preparations for 
the celebration of the Fourth of July; and as we could 
not expect to get a perfect day on .that very date in 
these latitudes, I had promised the crew they should 
celebrate either on the Fourth or on the next pleas- 
ant day after. It was not until the sixth, and when 
we were off the pitch of the cape, that the weather 
was enough settled to permit the ceremonies to take 
place. 

Having come on deck early in the morning, I saw 
at once that the day was, for these latitudes, to be a 
perfect one, and immediately gave the order to “ call all 
hands to skylark,” and. announced that the ceremo- 
nies appertaining to the glorious Fourth would be 
performed, and no work would be imposed, except 
such as should be necessary to keep the vessel on her 
course, to make and to take in sail, and keep a man 


234 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


at the helm. The crew, upon hearing the news for 
which they had so long been preparing and wisliing, 
came aft under the leadership of the carpenter, 
Charles Danbury, and gave three hearty cheers for 
the old Maryland and her gallant (?) skipper, and 
then went forward again to prepare for all the mis- 
chief they had been concocting, under his guidance, 
for the past ten or twelve days. 

As the sun rose in all his majesty, I had the flag 
of our beloved country run up to the spanker gaff- 
end, while our twelve-pound Dahlgren howitzer on 
the quarter-deck belched out a hearty welcome to the 
stars and stripes, and, as it sailed aloft, another round 
of cheers was given for our flag and country, and “ The 
Star-Spangled Banner ” was sung by all the crew, in 
unison, to an accompaniment played by Mr. Frisbee, 
on the melodeon, which had been brought from the 
cabin on to the deck for that purpose. 

It was a lovely day for the latitude, and we looked 
forward to a time of great enjoyment ; the wind was 
fair and not too strong, and we were wafted along at 
a fair rate of speed, and the sea was quite smooth 
and regular. We could not have chosen a better day 
for our celebration, and the crew were delighted at 
the chance of having a frolic. 

After w^e had saluted the flag, and sung ‘‘ The Star- , 
Spangled Banner,” as I have related, I ordered the cook 
and Chineyboy to bring the grog on to the break of 
the quarter-deck, and called upon all hands to “ splice 


PATRIOTIC SPEECHES 


235 


the main-brace,” which is sailor slang for taking a 
drink. Now, onr grog was of a very harmless kind, 
and also very pleasant to the palates of the crew, who 
receive few delicacies at sea. It consisted of several 
gallons of lemonade made from bottles of that prepa- 
ration that formed part of our cargo, and was simply 
delicious to our taste, sharpened by a long sea voyage. 

Possibly the speeches that were made by each 
before drinking were not the least funny episodes 
that occurred. 

Chineyboy acted as cup-bearer; and receiving my 
glass from him I made a few remarks upon the occa- 
sion, and eulogized the glorious flag under which we 
sailed, and then passed the glass to Mr. Frisbee, who 
held it until filled by Chineyboy, and then gave us a 
capital Fourth of July speech. 

He was followed by the mate, and he by the second 
mate, and he again in turn by the carpenter, who, as 
I have before said in this narrative, was the wit of 
the vessel and a universal favorite. 

I cannot reproduce what he said, but, speaking in 
a humorous strain, he kept us in a roar of laughter 
from the beginning to the end. 

He made fun of everybody, but not in an offensive 
manner, and often mimicked members of the quarter- 
deck, and of the crew, —not even sparing your hum- 
ble servant, — in such a perfect manner that there 
was no need to ask whom he was depicting. In the 
confinement of a sea-voyage every peculiarity of each 


236 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


individual is soon marked and noticed, and not one 
of these had escaped this perfect mimic. 

He gave an exhibition of how I put the vessel 
about, mimicking my orders, gestures, and voice ; how 
the first mate took in a studding-sail ; how the 
second mate hove the log ; how Mr. Frisbee landed 
his first albatross ; how the doctor thrashed around 
in his galley and bumped his head ; how Chineyboy 
waited on the table ; and some laughable peculiarity 
of each and every member of the crew. 

We gave him three cheers when he concluded. 

The “ doctor ” followed “ chips,” and made lots of 
fun for us all. 

The crew, including Chineyboy, made very funny 
remarks. Some, when called upon, were really timid 
and confused ; but as they were not permitted to taste 
a drop of the grog till they had said something, they 
all finally came to time, and added to our sport by 
the exhibition that they made of themselves. 

-Chineyboy pierced our ears with the national air 
of China, Sin-Fal, and was loudly applauded; after 
him Peter Ogley, who sang us a Norwegian air; fol- 
lowed by Hiram Strong, a real American, who was 
proud of his country, and said so; after him the 
remainder of the crew, with ‘‘Wearing of the Green,” 
from Flynn the Irishman, and “The Marseillaise,” 
from Dee-Dong; ending up with “God Save the 
Queen ” by Albion, the English sailor ; after which 
they were all dismissed to breakfast, w^hich I had 


BIG GUN PEACTICE 


237 


ordered Julius to make substantial, and worthy of 
the day and occasion. 

In the forenoon, after the men had had plenty of 
time to have a good smoke, part of the crew were 
mustered on the quarter-deck for big-gun practice 
with shell. We threw over, once in a while, an empty 
beef-barrel, and Mr. Frisbee, both the mates, and my- 
self had a try at them with shell ; and this practice 
was not altogether sport, for it was very necessary 
that we should know how to handle this gun with 
skill in an emergency. We all made quite good 
shots, but the mate beat us all, for he actually blew 
one of the floating beef-barrels out of water with 
his shell ; a wonderful shot, but then it must be 
remembered that he had actually fought Chinese 
pirates in the opium war, when in the opium schooner 
Nankeen, and was well posted in the use of big guns, 
in fact, he was our instructor in this instance, but he 
confessed that he never before had made such a bril- 
liant shot with a shell, but, said he, “it was a Fourth 
of July shot, and bound to be a good one.” 

We also unlashed and mounted our broadside 
guns, and had a turn with them, Mr. Cutter instruct- 
ing the starboard watch in the use of the starboard 
gun, and the port watch in the use of the port one. 

We made considerable noise; and the canister with 
which we loaded these guns in the last round made 
the waves near us hiss and foam as these deadly 
missiles entered them. 


238 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


We were having a good time ; but I did not con- 
sider that a pound of powder was being thrown 
away, and so the sequel proved, as you will discover 
and read about all in due time. 

After this the crew made some necessary changes 
in the arrangement of the sails, and were then again 
summoned upon the quarter-deck for practice with 
musket and ball ; and for this purpose our armorer, 
Mr. Frisbee, had all the muskets brought on deck. 
They were in fine order, for he took good care of 
them. 

I sent a man aloft, and had him hang an empty 
bottle from the end of the main-topsail yard-arm end, 
by a string ; and it was upon this that each of the 
crew was called upon to show his skill. Stationed 
at the break of the poop, each sailor was handed a 
loaded musket by Mr. Frisbee; and he took a shot at 
the dangling bottle. 

A successful shot was rewarded by an extra glass 
of grog, but few were able to hit the mark. Once in 
a while a good or fortunate aim smashed it into 
smithereens, at which we all set up a cheer for the 
successful marksman, and had another bottle speedily 
at the yard-arm end *to replace the one that was 
broken. We not only made everybody shoot, from 
the mate down to Chineyboy; but after they had 
shot, under the instructions of Mr. Frisbee, they were 
taught hoAV to load the musket as well as to fire it. 

It was difficult to determine who was absolutely 


SHOOTING BOTTLES FROM THE YARD-ARM 239 


the worst shot, as we could not tell where the bullets 
went that did not hit the bottle; but Chineyboy made 
such a mess of holding the gun, although assisted, 
and shut up his eyes so tight when he pulled the 
trigger, that he was by unanimous consent awarded 
the leather medal that the carpenter had provided 
for the occasion. 

After the firing was all over, and Strong had been 
decorated with a large tin plate, to represent silver, 
as being the best shot, and Chineyboy with the 
leather medal as the worst, the mate led them all 
down into the waist of the vessel on the main deck 
for a little cutlass exercise, in which he was quite 
proficient ; and Mr. Frisbee and myself were both 
very glad to take a few lessons as well as the crew. 

Dee-Dong had at some time in his life been a man- 
of-war’s man, and he also was well versed in the 
broardsword exercise, and assisted Mr. Cutter in 
teaching the remainder of the crew. 

Besides having a real good Fourth of July celebra- 
tion, I was quietly training my crew in the use of 
our weapons of defence, the knowledge of which 
might some day be of the greatest service to us all ; 
for the passage through the sea of Java is considered 
anything but safe in calm weather from the . attacks 
of the piratical phrows of that region, manned by 
fanatical Malays, especially for small vessels with 
few persons comprising their crew. All this practice 
would do us no harm, at any rate, and might be of 


240 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


immense importance, should we be so unfortunate as 
to be attacked. 

After having all the fun possible, the crew were 
dismissed to get ready for their noonday meal ; and 
the mate and myself prepared our instruments to 
take the meridian altitude of the sun, and ascertain 
thereby our latitude. 

At eight bells, twelve o’clock noon, we fired another 
salute to the national ensign, in the shape of a rapid 
but timed discharge of our small firearms to the 
number of thirteen, that being the total of the 
original States. 

Mr. Jones held my watch and called time: at 
every interval of thirty seconds a gun was fired. I 
commenced with my double-barrel and made two dis- 
charges, followed by Mr. Frisbee, who made two 
more ; and he was followed by Mr. Cutter with a 
spare gun who gave us two more ; and the carpenter 
brought up the rear with a single discharge of one 
of the muskets heavily loaded, after we had come 
round to him the second time ; for the interval 
between the shots was sufficiently long to enable us 
all to load before it came round again to our turn ; 
in fact, a little calculation will show you that we had 
three minutes to load in, before we were called upon 
for our second volley, which was amply sufficient. 

We took nearly all the afternoon arranging the 
main hatch for our display (5f fireworks that was to 
be given under the auspices of the carpenter, who 


FOUETH OF JULY FIREWORKS 


241 


busied himself in arranging the set-pieces that were 
to be set off after dark. 

This matter of fireworks had been one of great 
preparation on our part, and we expected fine results. 
The Avhole principle of our display lay in preparing 
cannon gunpowder so that it would burn slowly and 
not explode. That is to say, we took quite large 
quantities, and treated it to a dampening process, and 
mixture with flour, sawdust, and other substances. 
All the information we had gained in making fire- 
works for our kites we brought to bear upon these 
set-pieces. 

These were made by Mr. Frisbee, the carpenter, 
and myself, at odd times, and with a great deal of 
care, and in this manner : the outline of each subject 
we wished to display was cut out with a gouge, on 
the surface of boards that were fastened together at 
the back for this purpose. Into this deep groove we 
forced our gunpowder material, in a moist state, and 
let it there remain to harden and dry. On the night 
of exhibition we touched these set-pieces up by rub- 
bing over them, in all their parts, a little pure gun- 
powder. The result was, that when they were touched 
off, the fire flew all over them instantly, setting the 
slower mixture underneath afire, which, burning 
slowly, brought out all the outline of the piece in a 
most remarkable and satisfactory manner. Among 
these set-pieces, the most successful were the “Fourth 
of July,” “1776,” “American Flag,” “American 


242 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


Eagle,” Moon, and Stars,” “Jack Tar,” “An- 

chors,” and so forth. 

When these had been arranged to the satisfaction 
of the carpenter, it was nearly dark, as the 3ays are 
not very long in these low latitudes, and the men 
went to their supper, after which they were mustered 
abaft the main hatch, and the set-pieces, interspersed 
with squibs and bombs, were set off by the carpenter, 
assisted by Mr. Frisbee. And I doubt if a finer dis- 
play was ever made by persons who had to make 
their own fireworks, and who were not profession- 
als. 

One more thing ended our day’s sport, after the 
display of the fireworks, which were really magnifi- 
cent ; and that was the performance of the brass band 
in the moonlit evening. To be sure, sea etiquette 
had not permitted us to have any rehearsals ; but 
the irrepressible carpenter had fitted out each person 
on board of the vessel with some kind of an instru- 
ment, upon which were to be performed several well- 
known national airs, as a grand finale to the day, 
such as, “Yankee Doodle,” “Red, White, and Blue,” 
“ Sweet Home,” etc. 

The speaking-trumpet had been rigged into a first- 
class trombone for my use. Mr. Frisbee was fitted 
with a drum, of infinite power and resonance, made 
out of half a barrel, headed over with zinc. Julius 
made quite good music with my flute ; and Chineyboy 
came in anywhere he pleased, having not the faintest 


THE FOURTH OF JULY BAND 


243 


idea of music, with a triangle made from a small steel 
bar. Carpenter had a fife that he had made, and Mr. 
Cutter was fitted out with two enormous cymbals, 
made out of spare pieces of sheathing-copper ; while 
Mr. Jones wooed the Muses by blowing his sorrows 
into a kind of Pan’s pipes, made of albatross wing- 
bones of different lengths, by the carpenter of course. 
Among the crew were all kinds of devices for making 
a noise that should seem a little bit like music. I 
am sure I am not competent even to describe them, 
for their like was never seen before ‘‘ in the waters 
under the earth.” 

Mr. Danbury not only led the band, but marched 
it round the deck a few times to the music of his fife 
and the cook’s flute ; and of all the comical drilling 
that was ever witnessed, he gave us the finest speci- 
men ever seen. When this was over, he brought the 
band aft, and we proceeded to play and sing the 
songs above enumerated. Those who had instru- 
ments that were played by the mouth, carried the air ; 
while those who could do so sang the words ; and 
the result, if not strictly musical, was intensely 
inspiriting and entertaining. 

This ended our Fourth of July celebration ; and 
calling the crew to the break of the poop, I praised 
them for their orderly and sailorlike conduct, and 
dismissed them after they had given me three hearty 
cheers for the privileges I had granted them. 

The cheers had scarcely died away when the strict 


244 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


discipline of a vessel on the high seas was instantly 
renewed in this manner. 

“ Mr. Cutter.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir.” 

“ Send the port watch below, sir, and have the man 
at the wheel relieved.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” 

“ Keep her east half-nothe,” (to the man at the 
wheel). 

“ Ay, ay, sir. East half-nothe it is, sir.” 

And away sped the old bark through the waste of 
waters with a fair wind and a smooth sea. 


PORPOISE OIL 


245 


CHAPTER XVI. 

THE mate’s yarn, A BOAT ADVENTURE IN THE GULF 
OF PE-CHI-LI. 

Near the end of the month of July we found our- 
selves well round the cape, and in latitude 30° 52' 
S., and longitude 73° 20' E., but with no steady 
S.E. trades that I had expected to meet even before 
this. 

During the interval since our successful Fourth of. 
July celebration, and up to this date, several little 
adventures had taken place, not very much in them- 
selves, but interesting to us on the high seas, where 
there is very little daily news, and where ennui is apt 
to seize one. Amongst other lesser events that were 
duly logged in my private log-book, I find set down 
the fact that, in a gale of wind, the steward had so 
badly stowed the cask of sperm-oil, or else left the 
bung out, that it .was discovered one morning nearly 
empty. We could not have lost anything of much 
more importance, as we had to use sperm-oil for the 
binnicle light each night. Luckily, however, we 
shortly afterwards caught another porpoise, and were 
very careful to save every drop of his oil to eke out 
our short supply of sperm. 


246 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


At eight o’clock one evening we sighted a vessel 
on our port quarter, with painted ports, supposed to 
be the Merrimac, bound for Australia, that sailed two 
days before us. It was too late in the evening for us 
to exchange signals. 

One morning the mate called me to see a shark 
astern that was playing around an empty beef-barrel 
that Julius had thrown overboard. The sight was 
too tempting to resist the impulse to attempt his 
capture ; especially as it was nearly a dead calm. 
And, as Mr. Frisbee was asleep, I did not have him 
awakened, but took two of the crew in the quarter- 
boat, and went for him alone. Like most fish of any 
size that one meets at sea, he seemed to be utterly 
devoid of fear, and permitted the boat to approach 
him without seeming in the least to notice it, evi- 
dently being taken up with nosing round the old beef- 
barrel, the scent of which pleased him. It was, 
therefore, a perfectly easy matter to stand up in the 
bows of the boat, and drive the harpoon down 
through him, and tow him, floundering about, to the 
side of the Maryland, where, a bowline having been 
cast over his flukes, he was quickly landed on deck ; 
and where he thrashed about so that Mr. Frisbee 
appeared on deck in very little clothing, thinking 
that we must have run into an unknown island, or 
that the old Maryland “ had fallen overboard.” But 
he soon saw the cause of all the turmoil, which was 
a handsome blue shark of seven feet seven inches in 
length. 


CUT OPEN THE SHARK 


247 


He was speedily killed, and cut open to look for 
the usual gold watch, sailors’ trowsers, and marline- 
spikes, so often found in all sharks ; but truth com- 
pels me to say, in this instance, that nothing was 
found but an empty stomach. 

A few days after this occurrence, we at last struck 
the welcome S. E. trade-winds and went booming on our 
way rejoicing across the great Indian ocean, creeping 
up towards the equator, and into better and warmer 
weather each day ; and as the evenings became pleas- 
ant and mild Mr, Frisbee was again taken with the 
fever to hear a good yarn, and begged me to permit 
Mr. Cutter to again give us a taste of his skill in 
that direction. 

“ Why, he’s full of yarns of that trip of his across 
to China from Japan,” said Mr. Frisbee. “ He’s talk- 
ing all the time of the fighting that was going on up 
there, and what lots of fun he had ; I know he can 
give us a first-class story if you will only ask 
him to.” 

“ Wel^ I’ll do it;” and as Mr. Cutter was walking 
the main deck, it being his watch on deck, I called 
him aft, and asked him if he would not oblige Mr. 
Frisbee and myself with another yarn about his trip 
across from Japan in the Fenimore Cooper.” 

“ With pleasure. Captain, if it will please you and 
Mr. Frisbee ; for I could spin yarns all night on the 
funny and serious things tliat happened to us there. 

“Shortly after I arrived I was caught in a boat- 


248 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


scrape that seemed as if it would end fatally, but 
with a sailor’s usual good luck we got out of it all 
right, as you shall hear, but it was a narrow squeak. 
I call my yarn, ‘ A boat Adventure in the Gulf of 
Pe-chi-li.’ ” 

“ Three hundred and sixty-five vessels lay at anchor 
off the low, muddy coast of the mouth of the Peiho 
River, Northern China, some thirteen miles from land, 
ill an open roadstead, waiting to land the troops of 
the allied armies of Great Britain and France for an 
attack upon the famous Ta-ku forts. Several of these 
vessels were American clipper ships chartered for 
transport service, and among others the famous Kate 
Hooper of Baltimore, Captain Samuel Johnson. The 
day that the attack was made, August 19, it was 
decided to venture in near the forts in one of the 
handsome boats of the Kate Hooper, and see the fun. 
The troops had made a successful landing several 
days before at Petang, a point nine miles north of 
the noted Ta-ku forts, which are situated on both 
sides of the Peiho River ; and a combined attack was 
to be made by sea and land upon the famous Chinese 
stronghold, — the key to the imperial city of Peking, 
situated about one hundred miles inland, — upon the 
day above named. I went on board of the Kate 
Hooper from my yacht, the Fenimore Cooper, which 
lay at anchor near by, shortly after breakfast, to 
accompany Captain Johnson on the trip, as by pre- 
vious arrangement had been agreed upon. The 


ATTACK ON TA-KU FORTS 


249 


beautiful white, long, graceful, pull-away boat of 
the Kate Hooper was lowered away, and eight stal- 
wart Lascars, the boat’s crew, manned her for a pull 
to the forts, thirteen miles distant. Captain John- 
son and myself took our seats in the stern, and, with 
as lovely a day as ever was seen, started on our trip 
of pleasure and excitement. The sea was quite 
smooth, and the boat made rapid headway, forced for- 
ward by the eight oars of its trained crew. As we 
neared the shore the firing from the lighi? gunboats of 
the fleet commenced ; and taking up a position near a 
light-draught French gunboat, called .a spider, we 
watched the shot she threw into the forts about a 
mile distant. Finally, in the afternoon one of the 
magazines of the fort on the south shore exploded; 
and shortly after, by a coup de main^ the forts on the 
northern shore were taken by the allied troops, and 
the battle was over. The gunboats retired to Petang, 
nine miles farther up the coast ; and we prepared to 
pull back on board of the Kate Hooper, having passed 
through an exciting and memorable experience. 

“ The day had been warm, and in the afternoon 
the wind had nearly died away, and when at about 
six o’clock we got underway for our return pull of 
about twelve miles, everything looked favorable for a 
speedy and pleasant trip; but scarcely had we got 
pointed seaward than clouds began to gather in the 
north-east, and in less than an hour we had almost a 
brisk gale in our teeth, and the crew were urged to 


250 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


greater exertion to force the boat forward to its desti- 
nation before the wind increased and the night set in. 
But in a short time darkness closed in about us, and 
the wind blew with, greater violence ; and we woke 
up to the fact that we were caught in a fierce gale of 
wind three or four miles off a treacherous coast, in a 
small open boat, with no harbor of refuge, and the 
fleet some eight miles distant in the offing. We 
could not turn back and run for a harbor, for there 
was none,* except inside of the forts beyond the 
mouth of the Peiho River ; and even there we knew 
nothing at that time of where to land, or where to 
go, or how much of the river was in the control of 
the allies, or how matters had been settled. Besides, 
even if we had dared ^o venture into the river, it was 
now too late, as the black pall of the increasing 
storm had wrapped us in its folds, and the shore-line 
was blotted out as if it had never existed. 

The twinkling lights on the numerous vessels in 
the offing had also begun to disappear as the clouds 
gathered, and we only knew our direction by the 
wind, all other means of determining where we were 
heading to, having been obliterated by the storm. 
We were simply in a frightful position; for by the 
peculiar formation of this coast-line the sea often 
receded at low water long distances from the actual 
shore, leaving miles of liquid mud of unknown depth, 
in which one could have existed but a very few 
moments. If we should steer for the shore, and fail 


NO HARBOR OF REFUGE 


251 


to hit the mouth of the Peiho River, and strike upon 
any part of the coast-line, we should simply find our- 
selves at last swamped in this muddy ooze, possibly 
a mile from terra jirma^ in which no living being 
could either «wim or wade, and with a fierce gale 
blowing straight upon it. If we proceeded on our 
way towards the fleet, we ran the risk of being 
swamped or capsized at any moment. No friendly 
lighthouse on the inhospitable shore gave forth its 
rays to beckon us to a harbor of refuge, but impene- 
trable blackness surrounded us on all sides. Our 
only safety evidently lay in attempting to gain an 
offing, to keep the boat afloat, and, at least, to keep 
her to windward far enough so not to permit her 
to be driven back into the muddy ooze, where we 
should all have miserably perished. * Every effort, 
therefore, was made to prevent this last catastrophe, 
and keep the boat afloat. 

“All this time the gale had been incfeasing, and it 
now blew with great fury ; and, to add to the horror 
of the situation, the Lascar crew began to show signs ^ 
of their Oriental want of endurance by murmurings 
and a disposition to stop rowing and allow themselves 
tQ become the victims of whatever destiny, fate might 
hold in store for them. We could keep no account 
of time ; but at about midnight, as near as we could 
judge, these symptoms of exhaustion and rebellion 
began to manifest themselves. It had long before 
become imperative that the boat should have steerage- 


252 


LOG OF THE MAKYLATO 


way so as to be able to throw her bows up into the 
seemingly incoming and overwhelming waves by 
the use of the rudder, and also that some of the men 
should rest while the others rowed and bailed. 

“It was, as I have said, about midnight, as near 
as we could judge, that the stroke oarsman threw 
down his oar and called upon his comrades to cease 
their exertions, and give themselves up to what was 
evidently to them inevitable death ; but they had to 
deal with Anglo-Saxon blood ; with one blow the 
fellow was knocked into the bottom of the boat by 
Captain Johnson, and another of the resting crew 
lifted into his seat by the nape of the neck, and the 
oar placed in his hand. At the same moment I also 
dashed in among the five rowers, before they had 
time to quite make up their minds to rebel, striking 
quick blows with my fists upon their persons, but 
not hard enough to disable them. This action, no 
doubt, saved our lives, as in a moment more, if the 
rowers had ceased pulling, the boat would have 
turned broadside to the sea, and in a moment we 
should have been swamped. As it was, even heading 
the sea, enough water came aboard to keep one man 
with Captain Johnson or myself continually bailing. 
And after this episode, and a little choice language 
from Captain Johnson that he would brain any man 
with the tiller that dropped his oar again, the weary 
night dragged on. 

“ With each surge of the sea we feared to feel the 


NEAR THE DANGEROUS COAST 


253 


keel of the boat strike on some unknown bar, or be 
stuck in the muddy sediment of the coast-line ; for 
we had no means of knowing whether we were hold- 
ing our own or not; and I think now that our 
greatest anxiety during that whole night was not so 
much that the boat would be capsized, or swamped 
by some huge wave which seemed as if it must topple 
over into the boat, but the vague feeling of di’ead as 
it settled in the trough of the sea, that we should 
find ourselves sticking in the semi-liquid substance 
that stretched out into the sea, forming the coast- 
line. 

‘‘ During this long and bitter night, in the dread 
darkness. Captain Johnson and myself tried hard to 
cheer each other, and took turns at the oars and in 
bailing and steering, and encouraged and stirred up 
the crew by example and unceasing effort. 

“ After midnight the storm broke, thanks to God ! 
and although the sea did not go down, the wind died 
out quite rapidly, and this gave the Lascar crew 
renewed hope and energy. 

“ I pray that none of you may ever wait for the 
morning light with the anxiety and unspeakable im- 
patience with which we did. Oh! would it never 
come? But at last faint gleams of grayish dawn 
saluted our eyes, and with it came renewed energy 
and desire to live. Suffice it to say, that as morning 
fully broke, we found ourselves only a short half-mile 
from the dangerous smooth water , of the line of 


ooze. 


254 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


‘‘ As the sun rose the wind went wholly down, and 
the sea became rapidly smooth, so that soon it was 
no longer dangerous; and in about two hours we had 
reached the inmost-lying vessel of the fleet, an 
English bark named the Water Witch, where we 
were all taken on board and treated with the utmost 
kindness and attention by the gallant captain, and 
in the early afternoon were so refreshed that we 
descended into our boat and pulled blithely away for 
the Kate Hooper, not over four miles distant, with 
as much nonchalance as if nothing out of the com- 
mon had happened. And such is a sailor’s life! ” 

After the mate had finished his yarn, Mr. Frisbee 
and myself were obliged to keep silence, except to 
thank him, for it was his watch on deck, and he kept 
near us, pacing up and down on the weather side, 
which was his post of duty ; finally, however, there 
was a slight change in the weather, and he went for- 
ward to see to the bracing of the yards. 

The moment he left the quarter-deck, Mr. Frisbee 
commenced as usual his praise of sailors. 

“ Talk about your fiction,” said he, “ why, if you 
sailors would only give to the world the true adven- 
tures you have passed through, there would be no 
room or sale for the yellow-covered literature with 
which our youth now stuff themselves ; but then, I 
suppose some people would not believe the story 
that we have just heard. Now, how do you think 
the mate’s true story would appear in print? It 


SAILORS’ YARKS 


255 


seems to me as if it would bear the impress of 
truth in every word ; but then, I don’t know as jpw. 
can tell ; authors write so cunningly nowadays that 
it is difficult, perhaps, to distinguish the true from 
the false? but one has to be an excellent writer to 
deceive many. This yarn bears the impress of truth, 
and only shows what you sailors could relate if an 
opportunity were given you.” 

“ Well,” replied I, “ you are a little enthusiastic, I 
think ; but there is no doubt but what sailors, as a 
class, could relate many and stirring anecdotes that 
seem now lost to the world for want of a medium and 
opportunity to give them to the reading public. I 
don’t suppose any person ever followed the sea for 
a year, who ’was not at some time during that period 
in danger, which, woven into a yarn and put in print, 
would give warning and pleasure to thousands. But 
so it is with life ; and as you have discovered this 
gold mine, I advise you to work it for all it is worth.” 

“ I intend to, Captain ; ” and with a pleasant good- 
night he disappeared down the stairway, leaving me 
alone on deck to watch the old Maryland plunge 
through the seething waters on her way to the still 
far distant East. It was Mr. Cutter’s watch on deck, 
and I could have retired with perfect propriety ; but 
the splendid night and the freshening breeze were 
too much for me, and I remained the whole watch, 
till the second mate came on deck, looking at the 
beautiful stars and moon, and building castles in 


256 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


the air. The arrival of the second mate and the 
heaving of the log thoroughly awakened me ; and, 
with a glance at the compass and the beautiful 
heavens, I turned aside and slowly descended the 
companion way, and turned in for a peaceful night’s 
repose. 


THE MAKINER’S COMPASS 


25T 


CHAPTER XVII. 

THE mariner’s COMPASS. CATCHING SNAKES AT SEA. 

SHOOTING BIRDS ON THE WING IN THE INDIAN 

OCEAN BY CARRYING A GUN IN THE WATER WHILE 
SWIMMING. THE MATE’s JAPAN SNAKE-STORY. 

In the great Indian Ocean, pointing our bowsprit 
towards the Straits of Sunda, we continued our way 
towards the far East ; and, tireless, the gallant Mary- 
land kept on her w^ay across the trackless waste of 
waters, guided by the unerring compass, towards her 
point of destination. Did any one ever stop to think 
that nothing that human ingenuity can invent could 
ever take the place of the mariner’s compass? that 
without it we could do nothing towards navigating 
the great seas successfully? Just think for one 
moment that nothing could or can replace it. It is 
unique, and must necessarily be so. Its power is 
derived from a source that in itself is mysterious and 
unknown. And were it not for this attraction of the 
magnetized steel to a point that we call north, all 
navigation on a large scale would be beyond the 
power of human ingenuity to successfully attempt. 

It is thought that there are two magnetic centres 
in the earth : one in the southern hemisphere, and 


258 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


the other in the northern. It is wrongfully supposed 
by some that the north star, in the constellation of 
Ursa Minor^ attracts the magnetized needle, and it 
points to that star ; but such is not the case. It was 
simply chosen as one well known, and as being the 
one to which the needle seemingly pointed. 

The true magnetic pole in the northern hemi- 
sphere was discovered by Sir Charles Ross, in 1837, 
who stood upon it (within one second of its true 
locality), near Baffin Bay, in latitude 70° 12' N., and 
longitude 96° 0' west of Greenwich. The latitude 
of the magnetic pole never changes, but the longitude 
does ; and no one since has stood upon the spot where 
the needle, as in his case, pointed to the centre of the 
earth within one second ; namely, 89° 59' 59". 

There is some difference of record as to the lati- 
tude and longitude of the exact spot, as it has been 
reported as 70° 5' latitude, and 83° 14' longitude ; but 
the fact of the compass-needle pointing to the centre 
of the earth within one second of the true direction, 
has never been doubted, and is established beyond 
dispute. 

The fact of the magnetic pole being in latitude 70° 
has also been proved, in thousands of cases, by the 
log of whalers and explorers who have passed that 
meridian; for, as one advances north of 70°, it has 
been observed that the compass-needle turns towards 
the south, till eventually, in the highest latitudes, the 
vessel’s course is nearly due south by compass, as 


THE COMPASS A NECESSITY 


259 


she presses towards the pole, and the needle of the 
compass is reversed, still pointing to its fixed love, 
now left to the southward of the course the vessel is 
pursuing, when having passed the seventieth meridian 
of latitude. 

Can any of my readers conceive of anything that 
could possibly take the place of this instrument for 
the purposes of navigation ? To be sure, one can 
steer in a zig-zag manner by the sun in the daytime, 
and by stars at night ; but in cloudy days or rainy 
nights no vessel could proceed a mile in any known 
direction without this marvellous magnetic needle, 
and lone would be lost as completely as a blindfolded 
man in a large, vacant room. 

We are indebted to the Chinese for this wonderful 
instrument, and it was used for centuries by them 
before known to us “ outside barbarians.” The only 
difference between their compass and ours being that 
they say the needle points to the magnetic south, 
instead of north ; and make the south pole the head 
of the needle, instead of the north as with us ; but 
it seems as if Sir Charles Ross had proved that we are 
right in this matter. 

Beyond the conception of the human mind must 
be the subtle energy that, through space and time, 
tempest and calm, keeps the everlasting needle to its 
endless task, pointing out always to the mariner the 
true direction of the north, and hence the direction 
of every degree and minute of the whole earth’s sur- 


260 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


face of land and water. Wonderful and miraculous 
instrument, touched with the finger of God ! 

One fine morning, as I was walking the deck, and 
we were running out of the trades, as we approached 
the equator, I said to Mr. Frisbee, — 

“ Look out for snakes hereabouts, Frisbee.” 

“ Oh, yes,” replied he ; “ this is a very likely place 
for them indeed.” 

“ Well, you may laugh ; but I can tell you that in 
calm weather one always sees snakes in the Indian 
Ocean, even a thousand miles from any known land, 
and the dons of the Smithsonian Institute in Wash- 
ington will tell you that some of them are extremely 
venomous also. Especially is one prepared to see 
them, though far at sea, off the mouths of the 
Ganges and Cambodia and Euphrates Rivers, which 
pour their mighty torrents of water into this ocean. 
I myself saw quantities of them in this neighbor- 
hood on my last passage.” 

Mr. Cutter bore me out in my assertion, and said 
that he had seen snakes at sea in the Indian Ocean 
that would measure over ten feet in length. 

“ I don’t know,” continued I, “ whether or not the 
snakes so often seen hereabouts are salt-water snakes, 
or fresh-water snakes washed out to sea from the 
gi*eat rivers I have named, or whether they are 
veritable sea-serpents of a diminutive species ; but 
I do know that they exist. We all are aware 
that in captivity, snakes will live sometimes a year 


SNAKES AT SEA 


261 


without food ; and the turtle has the same faculty of 
sustaining life without eating, as have several of the 
cold-blooded reptiles, besides snakes and turtles. It 
is asserted as a truth, that living frogs have been 
blasted out of quarries that have breathed for a few 
liours after being released from their nest in the 
otherwise solid rock. Be that as it may, true or false, 
if this light breeze dies out. I’ll bet you we see snakes. 

“ I am inclined myself, to believe that they are 
washed out to sea against their own will by the cur- 
rents from these great Indian rivers, and, being able 
to. exist without food for a long time, present them- 
selves to the view of the mariner in a very lively 
condition, giving the impression that they are in 
good order, and in their native element. I have 
not myself the slightest doubt but what sea-ser- 
pents of the largest size exist ; and why the accumu- 
lated testimony in this direction is not accepted, I 
cannot conceive. Why, “all hands ” have been called 
on board of an English man-of-war, to witness him ; 
and he was looked at through spy-glasses, sketched 
on paper, and shot at by members of a body of men 
consisting of at least three hundred souls. Old 
whalers who have passed their lives at sea, and whose 
word and singleness of heart have never been doubted, 
have sworn to seeing him. Fishermen on the coast 
of the United States, men who have been to school 
and are well educated, and who are as free from 
superstition as any people of the earth, have had his 


262 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


snakeship appear within fifty feet of their fishing- 
boats. 

‘‘ There are over one thousand authenticated 
accounts of his appearance, many sworn to, in the 
books. The English captain of the man-of-war re- 
ferred to, made a detailed account to the Admiralty, 
which was signed by other officers on board; and yet 
the world goes on sneering at the sea-serpent, and 
doubting its existence. There is not one good reason 
to be given by naturalists why it should not and 
could not exist.” 

“Did you ever see one. Captain?” asked Mr. 
Frisbee. 

“No, I never did. But I have been to sea with 
three different persons who thought they had seen 
him in different parts of the world ; and if you will 
note, the description of his snakeship in all authentic 
accounts is substantially the same by all observers, 
and I believe in him firmly.” 

“Well, I do not myself see why we should not 
accept him,” said Mr. Frisbee. “You know, it took 
about three centuries to reclaim the fame and reputa- 
tion of Marco Polo, that most noted and truthful of 
travellers and explorers, from being the worst of liars, 
simply because he lived before his time, and saw 
sights in the far East that his countrymen could not 
accept as true, because they were so different from 
their own surroundings, and they had never seen 
them. Probably, as history has proved, a more 


TRUTH AND FICTION 


263 


truthful narrator of people, and customs never ex- 
isted.” 

“You are right, Mr. Frisbee,” said I ; “and to this 
day, sailors, as a class, are thought to be great prevar- 
icators, to use a mild term, when the truth is, that 
a sailor has no need to draw the long bow : his life is 
one of such adventure and strange episodes, that he 
has only to draw upon his remembrance of facts to 
startle his hearers. But it is too often the old story, — 
what one has not seen, one has great difficulty in 
believing; and poor old Jack Tar is more often disbe- 
lieved than otherwise. Why, you remember how one 
of my profession humbugged an old Eastern poten- 
tate with all the forecastle yarns he could think of to 
please him, till finally, cornered for a new story, or 
fact, for the satiated mind of his indolent and licen- 
tious master, he related to him, that in his country 
the water that ran before the palace doors in the 
shape of a grand and noble river, would be made so 
hard in winter, by nature, that His Majesty and all 
his troops could pass over to the other bank, and 
walk upon its bosom in perfect safety. This was too 
much for Wan Lee Chang Chong, who had never 
seen ice. So Jack, under the pain of the bastinado, 
had to declare that the only true story he had told his 
Sublime Highness was a downright lie. And his 
Royal Highness, Wan Lee Chang Chong, represents 
with a great degree of similarity the world collec- 
tively to which the traveller tells'ffiis tale. 


264 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ It is a queer world.” 

“ Yes, Captain, it is a queer world ; and I some- 
times wonder,” said Mr. Frisbee, “ that we ever got 
along far enough in wisdom to cease burning each 
other for saying that some things were true or false ; 
and even now there would be a good deal of burning 
going on if some people had their way, for the 
Chinaman is just as sure that his Joss is Jehovah, as 
we are that God is. A queer world, as you say.” 

“Well, we sha’n’t live to see it change much,” said 
I ; “but it is changing, and fast too, by means of the 
railroad and steamer. Strike eight bells, Mr. Cutter ; 
and Frisbee, let’s go below and get dinner.” 

When we came on deck after dinner, it had fallen 
almost calm, as I feared, and the Maryland was not 
moving through the water over two knots, an hour. 

“ Now is the time to see snakes, Mr. Frisbee,” said 
I. And it was not five minutes after I had spoken, 
before we saw three or four at different distances 
from the ship, swimming along as lively as possible. 
We discovered them by means of my marine glasses, 
as they were so small that they were not easily dis- 
cernible otherwise. 

“ Now, Mr. Frisbee, if you will get the landing-net 
out, I will go forward with the glasses, and see if I 
can discover one ahead, and if so, I will cun the 
Maryland, so as to bring him alongside on the port 
side ; and you stand amidships to see if you cannot 
net him, as we pass by.” 


CATCH A SNAKE AT SEA 


265 


It was at least half an hour before I saw one, 
though using the glasses with great vigilance ; but at 
last I got one in the focus, just as Mr. Frisbee was 
about giving the job up. 

“ Keep her off two points.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” answered the man at the helm. 

“Steady.” 

“Steady, sir.” 

“ Get ready, Mr. Frisbee ; here he comes, right 
alongside.” 

“All ready. Captain,” said Mr. Frisbee. And, a 
moment after, he plunged his net into the water with 
such skill that he dipped out of the ocean, and landed 
on deck, a snake about eighteen inches long, who 
wriggled about, but did not seem to advance much 
on the hot planks. Caesar and Scanner were for 
attacking him; and we had great difficulty in restrain- 
ing them, especially Caesar, as I was afraid that he 
might be venomous. After watching him for a while, 
he was captured with a piece of canvas, and thrust into 
a bottle of alcohol ; and there he is to this day, in my 
home museum, with the latitude and longitude where 
he was taken marked on the bottle. 

In appearance, he looked very much like the com- 
mon brown adder to be found in the New England 
States of America, — a brown back, and a dull yellow 
belly. From his general appearance, I should not 
think that he was venomous, but I have no means of 
knowing. He looked exactly like a land-snake in 


266 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


every respect, and there is only one thing that makes 
me think that he might be a salt-water snake ; and 
that is, that he did not get about the deck as if he was 
used to the land. He wriggled a good deal, but did 
not advance much, and seemed to think that he was 
swimming, or ought to swim, and did not, seemingly, 
know how to propel himself, as land-snakes do. This 
peculiarity was very marked. He made two great 
sweeps with his tail ; and although he got ahead a 
little, he did not act as if he had ever been before 
out of water in his life. 

We were highly elated at his capture; and he 
went to join our other curiosities, such as the shark’s 
jaws, and albatross skulls, etc., of which we had quite 
a museum on board. 

About a week had passed by, and we had discussed 
the snake question from every point of view, and 
were ready for any new adventure before we reached 
the Straits of Sunda, which we were approaching. 

Every once in a while we had a calm day, as was 
to be expected in these low latitudes ; and, finally, 
as we began to approach the land, birds that had been 
blown off began to make their appearance, as is cus- 
tomary ; and several of the smaller species came on 
board to rest, and we used to have great fun trying 
to capture them. One day when it was calm we saw 
several birds that resembled our swallows, and flying 
about with the same ease as those birds do at home, 
who did not attempt to come on board. 


SWIMMING WITH A GUN 


267 


As I have related in another part of this story, we 
had always kept up our bathing, during the whole 
voyage, whenever the weather permitted; and lat- 
terly, in this hot part of the world, and on calm days, 
had been in as usual over the stern or alongside. We 
all felt very proud of our skill as marksmen ; and I 
had often wanted to try and shoot a bird on the wing, 
carrying the gun in the water, while swimming. I 
knew I could sustain the gun for a short time at 
least ; for in my boyhood days I had swum with one 
once across the old cove to get a shot at “ peeps ” on 
old Hairyfoot Meadow. Now was my opportunity. 

“Do you see those swallows, Mr. Frisbee? I’m 
going in swimming, and I want you^ to lower my gun 
down to me after I get in, and I am going to swim 
away from the ship and kill one of those fellows on 
the wing, just so as to be able to write it down in my 
private log arid say that I have done it.” 

“ All right,” said Mr. Frisbee ; “ but I’ll wager you 
don’t hit him, you will have so much trouble in carry- 
ing the gun out of water.” 

“No, I won’t,” retorted I; “for I know just how 
to do it. Of course I am aware that all parts of it 
that are not submerged will be so much dead weight; 
but I am going to swim on my back, and allow the 
but and all its parts up to the locks to be under the 
water, and only the barrels and locks out. I can 
swim easily enough without my hands, on my back, 
as you well know ; and, when I get near my game, I 


268 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


am going to tread water till one comes within shot, 
when I am going to let him have it.” 

“ All right, Captain : it will be great sport, but I 
don’t believe you can do it. Don’t’ lose the gun, for 
the Lord’s sake ! ” 

“ Why, of course I won’t lose the gun ; for if 1 get 
too tired, I will put it all under water, and get back to 
the ship somehow with it. Why, don’t you remem- 
ber when Uncle Tom and Daniel Bradford were cap- 
sized off Gurnet Light in a small boat, and were 
nearly drowned, that Uncle Thomas carried grand- 
papa’s old king’s-arm for over an hour before he 
would drop it, so anxious was he to preserve it? ” 

“Yes, but he finally had to drop it,” said Mr. 
Frisbee ; “ and it nearly cost him his life, as he was 
just about to sink when rescued by that fishing- 
smack.” 

“Well, I am not going through any' such experi- 
ence as that,” replied I. 

Down into the cabin I plunged, and soon reappeared 
on deck in my swimming-drawers, and, walking to 
the rail, plunged deep down into old ocean ; as I rose 
to the surfa'ce, I was saluted by the furious barking 
of Caesar, who liked a frolic as well as any of us ; 
and swimming alongside, my gun was lowered down 
to me by a line, and I unfastened it and took it in 
my hands. 

Throwing myself upon my back, and holding the 
stock well down in the water, I had no great diffi- 


THE SWALLOW KILLED 


269 


culty in carrying it ; and, propelling myself with my 
feet, I struck off from the bark’s side to get in the 
line of flight of the swallows which flew all about the 
Maryland, but did not come very near. I was in the 
water at least five minutes before I, got a chance to 
shoot, and then not a very good one ; but seeing one 
coming within range, I commenced treading water, 
and, as he passed, I banged at him with the right 
barrel and missed him, and was greeted with a roar 
of laughter from Mr. Frisbee, in which the crew, 
I have no doubt, would have joined if they had dared. 
The gun was getting quite heavy, but I hung on 
till, within a few minutes afterwards, I got another 
and fairer shot, and down came my bird; and then 
the crew cheered me, instead of laughing. As is the 
case in most circumstances in this world, nothing 
succeeds like success. I swam for my bird, and 
secured him; but truth compels me to state, that I 
was very glad to submerge the whole of the gun 
before I reached the side of the Maryland, being 
quite exhausted, and I should have been unable to 
have carried it much longer, having been in the water 
over sixteen minutes, so Mr. Frisbee said, who had 
timed me. 

I was very proud of my feat, and glad that I had 
accomplished it, as Mr. Frisbee, who was a capital 
swimmer himself, was lavish of his compliments ; and 
even Julius Africanus, at supper that night, as he 
hovered round the table and banged his head in the 


270 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


little pantry, in defiance of sea etiquette, which de- 
mands that a subordinate shall never speak to a supe- 
rior unless spoken to, could not resist saying, — 

“ I’se seen many queer sights on de ocean. Captain, 
but dem dere shines as you an’ Massa Frisbee kicks 
up am de greatest tings dis nigger ever saw ; ’spect 
some day, if dis yere bark don’t sail fast enough, dat 
you and Massa Frisbee an’ de dorgs load up with 
previsions, and start out to swim to Anjer — ’deed I 
do. You just done got de pluck to do it.” And 
thus I was overwhelmed with flattery on all sides. 

When the evening came, it was a lovely one; and 
as luck would have it, it was Mr. Cutter’s watch on 
deck, and Mr. Frisbee began pestering for a yarn. 
“ Why,” said he, “ Cutter is our best story-teller by 
long odds, and he ain’t half emptied yet. Won’t you 
ask him to give us just one to-night? ” 

I was only too willing, as I had come to enjoy these 
yarns as much as Mr. Frisbee; so calling to Mr. Cut- 
ter, I asked him if he would entertain us. 

“Willingly, Captain, if it gives you and Mr. Fris- 
bee any pleasure, as I like to spin a yarn, and it helps 
shorten my watch. 

“Speaking of snakes, of which we have seen so 
many the last week or two, reminds me of something 
that I had to do with one in Japan, that I will simply 
call, ‘A Snake Story.’” 

“When I resided in Nagasaki, Japan, I lived in what 
is called a godown as a dwelling and storehouse. 


SNAKES AGAIN 


271 


The members of the firm lived farther up on the 
hillside in an elegant residence. It was a very old 
J apanese building of wood, two stories high, with a 
sort of stone underpinning, and an earthen floor. In 
the lower part was stored goods for sale, and in the 
upper story was my bedroom and office. Japan is not 
noted for snakes in any particular way as I am aware 
of, and yet in the godown occurred a very remarkable 
adventure, as you shall hear. 

“My window up-stairs looked out upon the beauti- 
ful waters of the bay ; and near to it was placed a 
native pine-wood table, made after our pattern, which 
was unpainted, and very cheap in design and finish. 
It could not be called a desk, and yet it was all the 
desk I had. We should call it here at home, a plain, 
low-legged, kitchen table. 

“I never thought of snakes in connection with the 
premises, although the godown was rotten in some 
places, and the flooring full of holes, until one day 
one of the coolies brought into my presence a quite 
large dead snake, which he said had just been killed 
in the compound, Avhich is the Eastern word for yard. 
Even this did not disturb me much ; but I examined 
it with some curiosity, for I detest snakes, and saw 
that it was of a dirty brown color, something like our 
brown adders, with a yellow belly, and about four 
feet in length ; quite a long, large snake, and whether 
venomous or not, I had no means of knowing. I did 
not like the idea of its being killed in the compound, 


272 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


but the occurrence soon faded from my mind. One 
morning some time afterwards, I was seated at my 
desk, or table, up-stairs, writing. This desk, or table, 
was covered with office-room books, ink-bottles, pens, 
etc., and all the usual articles used in the shipping 
business. I sat at it so that the light from the win- 
dow came in over my right shoulder, and the table 
was pushed up against a partition at its back side, 
and its right-hand side fitted just under the window- 
sill. The window was made of European glass, in a 
rough frame, and set into the bare timber beams of 
the unfinished interior of the godown. As I sat with 
my -pen in my hand, I happened to glance out upon 
the bay ; and, as I did so, to my horror I saw stretched 
along the middle of the window, between the panes 
of glass, a snake, at least three feet in length. How 
long he had been here, I shall never know ; but this 
I do know, that I had been writing for some time 
with my head within two feet of the window, along 
which he was stretched, and evidently sunning him- 
self. i did not jump out of my chair; I was too cool 
for that ; but my heart came up into my mouth with 
a big bump, and I gradually, inch by inch, moved my 
chair away and back, till I could get my legs out 
from under the table, and then, with a jump, I landed 
far into the room away from my unwelcome visitor. 
Until I made my jump, I don’t think the snake 
moved any more than if it had been dead ; but my 
last motion, in which I overturned the chair, evi- 


HOLDING ON TO THE SNAKE’S TAIL 273 


dently alarmed it, for with a quiet, easy motion, it 
turned itself about, and, to my amazement, com- 
menced disappearing in a large knot-hole in the up- 
right beam that supported the window-frame. Here 
was a pretty state of affairs ; and it flashed upon me, 
that the snake must have been living in the godown 
for T don’t know how long. The thought of how 
many times it might have been thrusting its head out 
of that knot-hole, during the last six months, not two 
feet from where m}^ head usually was each day, when 
at the desk, gave me a cold chill down my back. 
Something had to be done, and in emergencies we 
think and act quickly, especially sailors. It came to 
me instantly, that that snake and myself could never 
occupy that godown in common, and that one of us 
would have to migrate, get out, or “vamose the ranch ” 
as the Californians say, and I was at once determined 
that it should not be me. My Yankee grit began to 
rise at the intrusion of this uninvited guest, and I 
was fast rising to a pitch to do battle for my Japanese 
home. All the time that these thoughts were passing 
through my mind, and many others, the snake was 
gradually disappearing through the knot-hole ; and I 
saw that something had to be done mighty quick, if 
I expected to stop it from escaping. In my despera- 
tion, I grabbed a newspaper that was lying upon the 
desk, and, with both hands, got hold of the snake’s 
tail, that was now quite rapidly disappearing. Why 
I took the newspaper, I don’t know; probably 


274 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


because I have such an antipathy to all this species 
of reptiles, that I could not bear to touch it with my 
naked hands. And now came the tug. By this 
time I had lost all idea of fear in the desire to pull 
that snake out of his hole, and kill him, rather than 
to have him escape, and know that he was liable, at 
any future time, to pop his ugly head out, or wind 
his loathsome folds round my naked feet or pajamas, 
in some of my night walks around the room. I 
pulled, and the snake pulled, and it was hard to say 
which was getting the best of it. He was evidently 
determined not to be captured, and I was as equally 
determined that he should not escape ; and, finally, 
in one desperate pull, he gave way all at once, and 
came out of the hole nearly into my face. I dropped 
the paper, and jumped back to be free from him, and 
he scuttled under my desk and coiled up in a very 
threatening manner. By this time I was boiling over 
with passion and excitement ; and not stopping to 
think what I was doing, I rushed into an inner room, 
and caught up a short Japanese sword and came back 
to the desk, and, without a moment of thought, got 
down on all-fours to get a cut at him, as he lay coiled 
under the desk. I made one or two furious slashes, 
but failed to reach him ; and in my frenzy to kill him 
I got farther under the table than I intended to, and, 
as I made another cut at him, he sprung at me out of 
his coil. I, as quickly, tried to retreat ; but my head 
came up with a crash against the bottom of the table. 


THE SNAKE ESCAPES 


275 


and tliis nearly frightened me to death ; and, with 
one bound, I threw the table up into the air, and 
midst ink, books, bottles, paper, rulers, account- 
books, paper-cutter, and penholders, I slashed and 
cut in all directions, and danced about in a perfectly 
demoralized state, with the feeling that there were 
snakes about my neck and arms and legs, and down 
my back. After I had kicked and danced myself 
free of the ruins of the desk and its materials 
I came enough to my senses to see my enemy quietly 
disappear down through one of the numerous crev- 
ices between the timbers of the floor of the godown ; 
and I never saw him again, and never knew what 
became of him. When the hullaballo was over, and 
the servants had come to see if the top of the house 
had fallen in, I was quietly told that this kind of 
snake was perfectly harmless, and that they were 
often to be found in old buildings. I took a little 
comfort from this, but it was a long time before I 
felt quite at home again ; and my only consolation 
was, that I thought that Mr. Snake had had his tail 
pulled so hard, that he would not live anyway. At 
any rate, I never saw him again ; nor do I think I 
ever, in Japan, all the time I was there, saw any 
snakes of any kind except these two.” 


276 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

INTELLIGENCE OF SAILORS. — THE SECOND MATE’s YARN, 
AN ADVENTURE WITH A WHALE. 

We all had a good laugh at the mate’s snake-story, 
and voted that he certainly had “ seen snakes ” on 
land as well as on sea. 

“ It won’t be very long now before we reach the 
Straits of Sunda, Mr. Frisbee, and then we will go 
on shore at Anjer point, and have a tiger-hunt while 
the Maryland is taking in her fresh-water supply for 
the China seas.” 

“Won’t that be fun!” said Mr. Frisbee, who was 
always delighted at the prospect of any sport that 
brought out skill and endurance. 

“Well, if we have good luck we shall be there 
within a few days ; ” and with a mutual good-night 
we both went below to turn in. 

We were only a very short distance from the Straits 
of Sunda, and expecting to make the land within the 
next twenty-four hours, when Mr. Frisbee became 
impatient for another sea-yarn. 

It was a lovely night, though a trifle warm, when 
we were both seated on the edge of the house enjoy- 
ing the splendid moonlight, and listening to the 


GOOD ENGLISH 


277 


ripple of the passing waters as the Maryland bowed 
in graceful dips to the distant land that lay beyond 
her jibboom, and pushed her way ‘with a fair but 
light wind towards her destination. 

“ Say, Captain, I want a regular whaler’s yarn, and 
who better to give us one than Mr. Jones, our second 
mate ? I’ll wager he has had some thrilling adven- 
ture whilst cruising for blubber in the North Atlan- 
tic. Won’t you ask him to spin us a good one? It 
is his watch on deck, and there he stands by the 
man at the wheel, all ready to be asked.” 

“Well, I have not the slightest objection, and I 
should not be surprised if he gave us a good one, as 
you say ; and, although he is a sailor, he has had a 
good Cape Ann common-school education, and, as 
you have perhaps noticed, uses exceedingly good 
English when speaking on any subject outside of 
his official duties ; but when on duty I confess he is 
no different than any other mate in carrying on the 
work. 

“ How do you account also,” continued I, “ for the 
excellent English the mate uses in all his recitals ? 
He is all sailor in his daily work, and regrets his 
want of an early education ; but I have often noticed, 
in men of my profession, that they speak two lan- 
guages, — one to the crew, that falls from their lips 
natural and lifelike; and another, which is almost 
always pure, clear, and emphatic, when they are 
talking with passengers or persons who are their 


278 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


superiors. I can only account for this singularity^ 
which is very marked in our profession, but in one 
way : sailors who have become officers, as a rule, 
despise common seamen, the class they rose from ; 
the}^ have seen too much of the worst and depraved 
side of Jack Tar, and they take pains, through weari- 
some and long voyages, to listen with care to the 
entertaining and often instructive talk of passengers 
and of their superiors. Mates will not have any social 
communication with sailors ; and, barred from all in- 
tercourse with the remainder of mankind, they drink 
in and retain all good phrases, ideas, and forms of 
speech, that they hear from those whom they respect, 
and intuitively acquire a good delivery and use of 
words when conversing on any subject outside of 
the ordering about of the sailors in their routine 
duties. I cannot otherwise account for the purity of 
diction of so many of the mates and captains who 
have risen from before the mast to the top round of 
their profession. Many of these men read a great 
deal at sea, and some to great advantage ; and not 
having the busy world buzzing about their ears, and 
the daily newspaper to distract them, and no com- 
munication or intercourse of thought with any but 
their superiors through many months, acquire both 
knowledge, and aptitude in expressing themselves ; 
but this is listening to a yarn from me instead of 
Mr. Jones — 


“ Mr. Jones ” 


THERE SHE BLOWS ! 


279 


“Ay, ay, sir.” 

“ Mr. Frisbee is very anxious to know whether or 
not yon believe that the story of Jonah in the 
whale’s belly is literally true, or whether, while 
whaling, you ever went through any similar experi- 
ence. In short, he wants very much to hear a real 
whaler’s yarn, from a whaler’s lips, and I heartily 
join in the request, if you will oblige us.” 

“ I shall be most happy to do so. Captain, if it will 
oblige you and Mr, Frisbee ; and although I can’t 
say that I ever had so hard a time of it as the good 
book says Jonah had, I came pretty nigh it, as you 
will hear. If you want a handle to my yarn, why, 
it might well be called ‘ An Adventure with a 
Whale.’ ” 

“We were lying becalmed in the North Atlantic 
Ocean, in the good old whaliiig-bark Sarah Knowles, 
of New Bedford, anxiously looking out for whales. 
We had not had very good luck since leaving Nassau 
some twenty days before, and were keeping a sharp 
lookout for oil. The ocean was glassy smooth, and 
there was not a breath of air stirring. The sea was 
in such a state that we could overlook a great extent 
of water from the crow’s-nest at the foretop-gallant- 
mast head, where one of the sharpest-eyed men in 
the bark was keeping a good lookout for spouts. All 
at once the monotony of the dreary sea-day was 
broken by the welcome, cheeiy tones of Charley’s 
voice, singing out, ‘There she blows, there she 
blows ! ’ 


280 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ In a moment all was excitement, and the slouch- 
ing, aimless air of all hands was exchanged for one of 
fierce activity. 

“ ‘ Where away ? ’ sung out the captain, with sten- 
torian lungs. 

“ ‘ One point off the port-bow, sir,’ answered the 
sailor from the crow’s-nest. 

“ ‘ Ah ! I see him,’ said the captain, as he lowered 
his spy-glass from his eye ; ‘ and he’s a rouser, a regu- 
lar old sperm bull, or I am no judge,’ continued he. 

“ ‘ Lower away the boats ’ was the next order that 
was heard ; and three boats were soon in the water 
making for the whale. 

‘ A hund’ed barrels if he’s a barrel,’ said the cap- 
tain, in whose boat I was pulling an par, Avhile he 
steered. ‘ Give way, boys, give waj^’ cried out the 
captain, in a cheery voice. ‘ He’s a whopper, and 
we’re bound to have him if we only work smart. 
There he sounds ; but never mind, he’ll soon be up 
again, never you fear.’ 

“And thus encouraged we pulled like Trojans. 
The mate and second mate, each in his own boat, 
were straining every nerve to pass us ; but the captain 
had the best crew, which was but natural, he being 
master. We gained rapidly on our prey, who came 
to the surface quite often to blow. 

“ Now, whaling is a dangerous pastime, as well as 
exciting, and it behooves one to take great care in 
approaching these monsters, and to keep a good look- 


PULL SLOW BOYS 


281 


out ; but I am sorry to say that sailors seldom stop 
to think of anything of that kind when in hot pur- 
suit of these enormous creatures of the deep. The 
excitement of the chase eliminates all fear, and the 
only dread that possesses each mind is a fear of 
arriving too late. 

“ There were six men pulling in our boat, not 
counting the captain, who was steering with a long 
eighteen-foot oar. We had gradually passed all the 
other boats, and were now in the lead, and still gain- 
ing. The sun was very hot, but in our excitement 
we scarcely noticed it. The captain kept a good 
lookout, and cheered us on our way by encouraging 
words every now and then. The whale, in the mean 
while, as is usual with them when not disturbed, 
kept sounding, and coming to the surface to blow. 

“ Once in a while he changed his direction, but not 
enough to cause us to alter our course to any great 
degree, for the captain kept a sharp eye upon him, 
and followed all his changes as fast as he made them. 
Finally we began to draw near; and the captain 
changed places with the bow oarsman, and took up 
the harpoon, ready for a strike. He was a bouncer, 
and no mistake. ‘Steady,’ said the captain, as he 
poised the deadly harpoon for the fatal dart. 

“ ‘ Pull slow, boys ; careful — careful. Easy now 
— easy. A little to starboard, boat-steerer ; there, 
that will do. Now steady,’ and with a splendid cast 
of over fifteen feet the captain drove his iron into the 


282 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


greenish side of the huge sea monster, who ‘up 
flukes ’ and sounded at once, while the captain sung 
out, ‘ Stern all ! ’ at the very same moment that he 
gave the dart, and none too quick for us to escape 
the whale’s flukes, which narrowly missed us, as he 
descended into the depths of the ocean. 

“ And now commenced the fun, as the harpoon-line 
began to whiz out of the chock in the bows, smoking 
and almost on fire, as it revolved round the logger- 
head in the stern, and jumped out of the tub, where 
it had laid coiled down a few minutes before in a 
handsome Flemish coil. ‘ Steady, everj^body ; steady,’ 
said the captain, who had in the mean while again 
gone aft and taken the steering-oar. 

“ Away we went with the sea combing up far above 
the bows of the boat, for we knew by the dart we 
had seen the captain make, that we were well fast, 
and by this time had stopped paying out line, and 
were in ‘ full tow,’ as sailors term it. All this time 
we of the crew sat with our oars hung out over the 
water with the blades pointed to the wind, caused by 
our terrific speed through the water. The other 
boats, seeing us hard and fast, ceased rowing, as is 
usual in such cases; and after watching us for a 
time to see that we were all right, turned and made 
their way back to the ship. We were now all alone, 
and fast to one of the largest whales that I had ever 
seen ; but then I was only on my first voyage, and, 
of course, there were many larger fish than the one 


FAST TO A BULL WHALE 


283 


we were fast to in the great wide ocean, but I had 
never chanced to see them. 

“ As we rushed through the water at a terrific rate 
of speed, the sun began to set and night to come on 
apace, as it does in these latitudes, and quite a breeze 
sprang up, and the clouds began to gather in quite 
heavy masses in the western horizon. Still the whale 
sped on with no perceptible diminution of speed, and 
things began to look a little ominous. Here we were 
going straight away from the ship at a fearful speed, 
and darkness closing in upon us. The captain even 
had an anxious look about the mouth ; but then, it 
would never do to cast clear from our prey, he was 
too valuable for that ; and the thought probably never 
entered the mind of any one of us ; at any rate, I 
can answer for myself. It did seem as if that partic- 
ular whale never would stop running; and, as he 
kept on, we saw the signal-lantern run up to the 
masthead to show us where the old bark lay, and 
guide us upon our return. The breeze was fast 
increasing in force, and it had suddenly become pitch 
dark ; and it began to look decidedly gloomy for us, 
when the whale decreased his speed, and came to the 
standstill for which we had been so long anxiously 
waiting. 

“We commenced carefully hauling in on the line, 
and the captain went forward and took the lance, 
ready to pierce the vitals of the whale if he had an 
opportunity. It was so dark, and the bark was so far 


284 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


away, — at least fifteen miles, — that we were all 
anxious to have the job over, and get back to her 
protecting bulwarks ; and everybody was a little 
reckless, especially the captain, for without any warn- 
ing he made his dart as soon as he found himself 
alongside, and without taking the slightest care as to 
the position of the whale, or what would become of 
us in the boat if he should happen to hit us with his 
flukes in his flurry. In short, the captain, in his 
anxiety to finish the affair, was about to endanger all 
our lives, as the sequel proved, for, as he made his 
dart, it was replied to by the monster by a stroke of 
his flukes that sent me, for one, spinning into the air. 
I fell into the water at some distance from the whale, I 
presume, and luckily, as it afterwards proved, near 
to one of the floating oars, which I seized with des- 
peration and instinctively, for I was scarcely in a 
conscious state, and all I did to preserve myself was 
done from instinct. I shall never know how long I 
lay hanging on to that oar for preservation, in a semi- 
conscious state, knowing just enough to keep my 
mouth out of the salty brine ; for it proved afterwards 
that I had received quite a severe blow on the back 
of my head, which, if it had been a little bit stronger, 
would have finished me. As it was, consider my 
horror when regaining consciousness a few minutes 
later, I looked about in vain for the boat and my 
comrades. 

‘‘To tell their part of the story first, — for not only 


DESERTED 


285 


I, but all my shipmates, escaped, or I should not 
be telling this yarn, — it seems when the whale 
struck the boat with his flukes, that he not only 
knocked it into the air, throwing myself and one or 
two overboard, but at the same time knocked a bad 
hole in the bows. Luckily the boat fell back into 
the ocean right side up; and some one had sense 
enough to grab a pea-jacket and thrust it into the 
hole, while the captain yelled out to set the lug-sail, 
and pull for the ship, if they desired to save their 
lives, and that they would be very lucky if they 
reached her before sinking into a watery and un- 
known grave, on account of the damage the bows of 
the boat had received. 

“ In the hurry of departure, the darkness, and the 
confusion, I was not missed till the boat had made a 
considerable distance towards the bark, and been 
kejDt afloat by persistent bailing. Finally, my absence 
was discovered, but even then the chances of reaching 
the bark were so slim that it caused but a remark or 
two, such as, ‘ Poor fellow, he’s only gone ahead ; 
we’ll soon follow him, no doubt. He must have been 
hurt when the whale hit the boat, or else he would 
have sung out for us to have picked him up.’ My 
comrades finally reached the ship safely, after almost 
superhuman efforts to keep the boat afloat ; but how 
fared it with poor me ? 

“ In a very short time after the departure of the 
boat, I regained enough of sense to appreciate my 


286 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


awful predicament, and how little chance there was 
of my preserving my existence ; and I made up my 
mind at once that I must die, and that quite speedily. 
It was only a matter of endurance for an hour or so ; 
and just as I had come to this, lo ! and behold ! there 
lay the whale, not ten fathoms away from me, dead 
as a mackerel, and, luckily for me, floating ; the cap- 
tain’s thrust with the lance having evidently been 
finally fatal. 

“At the sight of the whale my natural courage 
returned to me, and 1 began to have some faint hopes 
that I might yet be saved. Pushing the oar before 
me, I made for the side of the huge monster, and 
satisfied myself that he was really dead ; then 1 com- 
menced swimming around him, trying to find a place 
by which I could mount on to his back. I had not 
swum very far before I ran into the end of the whale- 
line that hung down over his huge side just as it 
was left when the boat parted it as it was thrown 
into the air. I grasped this with a clutch of despera- 
tion, and found it securely fastened to the iron still 
in the whale, as I had expected. Letting go of my 
oar, which had served me to such good purpose up 
to the present time, I easily, with a sailor’s agility, 
mounted the back of my late enemy, and was for the 
time-being in comparative safety. 

“Taking the whale-line, I wrapped it round the 
staff of the harpoon and then about my body, until 
1 was thoroughly secured, so that nothing could 


ALL NIGHT ON A DEAD WHALE’S BACK 287 


sweep me off, and thus bound to my slippery seat 
awaited morning and succor, for I felt sure that there 
would be a search for the whale in the morning ; but 
what a night I passed ! I hope neither of you will ever 
experience anything similar in your lives. Suffice it 
to say, that, after a terrible night of horror, exposure, 
and mental agony, I saw by the very first morning 
light a boat coming towards me, and knew that I was 
saved. My joy was so great that I nearly fainted 
away with delight ; and although I now tell my yarn 
with pride, yet I do not wish my worst enemy to go 
through the agony that I endured for one whole 
night in mid-ocean, sitting on the back of an old 
bull sperm whale with only his blubber between me 
and a watery grave.” 

And with a slight nod of respect, and without 
waiting for our praise or congratulations, the second 
mate turned away aft, and poked his head into the 
binnacle to see how the bark headed, as is the way 
with officers, especially if they have been any time 
to speak of, away from the compass. 

“ Well, I declare ! ” exclaimed Mr. Frisbee ; “ every 
person on board of this vessel seems to have been 
through some startling adventure. Can it be true 
that sailors’ lives are so much more filled with 
romance and adventure than we on shore know of, or 
is this an exceptional crew. Captain ? ” 

“ Not at all,” replied I. “ It is simply facts in the 
lives of these individuals that would never have been 


288 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


heard of unless you had started the scheme. And 
as you and I have agreed long ago on this voy- 
age, it is impossible for a sailor to make even one 
voyage round the world without either passing 
through some startling adventure in his own person, 
like Mr. Jones, or to participate in something novel 
and strange in company with others, or to witness 
some strange and startling sights ; and for want of a 
narrator like a Marryat or a Cooper, these adventures 
are lost to the rest of the world. 

“ To-morrow I am in hopes to make the straits, and 
shall do so if this wind lasts ; and by nightfall of the 
next day we ought to be anchored off Anjer, and 
you and I on shore roasting to death with heat, 
and filling up with oranges, bananas, and ripe cocoa- 
nuts, while the old Maryland is filling up with 
water.” 

“ Well, good-night. Captain. I suppose you will 
remain on deck most of the night ? ” 

“Yes, I probably shall; for if my chronometer is 
at all out, I may be much nearer the land than I sus- 
pect, and it is well to be on the safe side.” 

“ As you always are. Captain,” said Mr. Frisbee, as 
he descended the hatchway. 


LAND HO ! 


289 


. CHAPTER XIX. 

MAKE THE LAND. — ARRIVE AT ANJER. VISIT THE 

DUTCH FORT AND MAHOMETAN TEMPLE, AND THE 

FAMOUS BANYAN-TREE. MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE 

OF A CHARMING ENGLISH GENTLEMAN WHO RELATES 
TO US AN ADVENTURE THAT HAPPENED TO HIM IN 
NORTHERN CHINA, WHICH PROVES INTENSELY INTER- 
ESTING. ARRANGE WITH HIM FOR A TRIP INTO THE 

INTERIOR THE NEXT MORNING IN HOPES TO GET A 
SHOT AT A TIGER, WITH WHICH OUR HOST TELLS US 
THE COUNTRY ABOUNDS. 

The next morning the sun rose bright and clear, 
and gave promise of a lovely day. Shortly after sun- 
rise, the welcome cry came from aloft, “ Land ho ! 
Land ho ! ” and there was no need to ask “ Where 
away? ” for everybody on board knew that it would be 
right ahead; and there it was, like a faint blue cloud 
on the distant horizon. As the wind was fair, 
although light, we came up to it quite fast, and it 
soon began to loom and show itself more plainly. 
The land that we saw was the mountains inland ; but 
soon the coast-line was to be distinguished, and 
before twelve o’clock we were fairly within the nar- 
row Straits of Sunda, and heading for Anjer Point, 


290 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


where we were to stop and water, preparatory to our 
passage north, through the Sea of Java and the 
China Seas. As we entered the straits, the mountain 
scenery on either side was magnificent, and we feasted 
our eyes upon it, debarred as we had been so many 
days at sea from any such sight. One of the most 
glorious results of a sea voyage, is the renewed zest 
with which all terrestrial objects are viewed, and the 
enjoyments of a life on shore enhanced. As we 
passed along up the straits in the afternoon, canoes 
filled with dusky Malays and Javanese began to pull 
towards us and ask us to throw them a line, so that 
they might come on board and sell some of the deli- 
cious, fresh, ripe fruit with which they were laden, 
the sweetest and finest in the whole world, consisting 
of yams, pineapples, sweet potatoes, bananas, cocoa- 
nuts, plantains, oranges, limes, and fruits with un- 
known European names, which they were willing to 
sell for a mere song. I have often seen a fine bunch 
containing possibly one hundred and twenty ripe 
bananas, exchanged for a sailor’s common red ban- 
danna, which may have cost sixpence in Liverpool. 
These canoes thought we were going right on through 
the straits, and were very anxious to come on board, 
and could not understand at first why I would not 
throw them a line ; but by signs I soon gave them to 
understand that I was coming to an anchor off Anjer, 
at which they seemed much delighted, and vied with 
each other to see who should arrive first at our anchor- 


FEAST ON CHICKENS AND PLANTAINS 291 


ing-place, and thereby obtain onr patronage and cus- 
tom. As night was coming on, I sounded, and, 
getting about fifty fathoms of water, anchored the 
bark with the kedge ; and our Malay friends were 
soon alongside, and we revelled that night, captain 
and crew, in delicious fresh fruit and chickens. 

The next morning, bright and early, we got under 
way and started anew on our voyage towards Anjer, 
now but a short distance from us. 

I anchored the night before for several reasons, 
amongst others on account of the dangerous naviga- 
tion of these parts ; the swift current that was running 
out of the straits, which, in the light air we were 
experiencing, would have swept us astern, and possi- 
bly into unknown dangers ; and the darkness of the 
night without moon. 

After a breakfast fit for the gods, consisting of fried 
plantains, baked yams, and broiled fresh young 
chicken, Mr. Frisbee and myself returned to the deck 
to see everything that was to be seen, and to carry on 
the duty. At about noon we arrived off Anjer, but 
to the southward of it, being unable to reach it on 
account of the swift current that was setting down 
through the straits, and which we saw plainly was 
detaining quite a fleet of vessels which were anchored 
here and there waiting for a fair strong wind to pass 
up through the straits on their way north. Finding 
that I could make no headway against the strong 
tide with the light air in which were moving, I came 


292 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


to an anchor about six miles below the Port, nearly 
opposite the lighthouse, and possibly two miles 
from it. 

As soon as the bark was safely moored in thirty 
fathoms of water with her hedge down, I had the 
boat manned, and Mr. Frisbee and myself went on 
shore to order the fresh water and to enjoy ourselves. 
I sent the boat back, with orders to Mr. Cutter to 
weigh anchor and stand in towards the Port and 
anchorage off the town whenever, in his judgment, 
he saw a slant of wind that would permit him to 
make any headway against the current. We first 
visited the Commandant of the Port, as he is called, 
an affable Dutch gentleman, — for all these islands are 
in the possession of that nation, — and made arrange- 
ments for our fresh water to be brought alongside so 
soon as the Maryland should beat up into the anchor- 
age off the town, where she could be readily reached 
by the water-boat. Leaving the pleasant Command- 
ant, we made our way to the only hotel in the place, 
quite a fine one, kept by a Malay o, and sat down to 
dinner with the thermometer at about one hundred 
degrees in the shade ; for you must know that Anjer 
lies within one or two degrees of the equator, and is 
as hot as Tophet. 

After we had dined, we sat down on the veranda, 
and tried to keep cool ; but it was a difficult operation, 
and we simply sweltered. 

Towards evening, when it became slightly cooler, 


VISIT A MAHOMETAN MOSQUE 


293 


we made a visit to the Dutch fort, on invitation of the 
Commandant, and were introduced to the officers; and 
jolly fellows we found them, glad enough to see any 
new faces, even if not of their own country. One of 
them spoke quite good English, and acted as inter- 
preter. They made many inquiries concerning the 
United States, and were evidently much entertained 
by our replies. We reluctantly left them, and accom- 
panied by our friend, the interpreter, made our way 
to a Mahometan mosque, or temple. This edifice 
was a low stone building nearly surrounded by water, 
into which the lower steps of the temple descended, 
and in which the devotees washed their feet before 
entering the sacred edifice. We entered and watched 
the proceedings for a short time, and then, bidding 
adieu to our kind conductor, drifted about the small 
town on our own hook. We visited the famous ban- 
yan-tree near the hotel, and ascended to the top by 
means of the numerous ladders with which it is sup- 
plied ; which, commencing from the ground, and fast- 
ened from branch to branch, end in a sort of cupola 
or lookout at the summit of the tree ; and from which, 
there is an excellent view seaward and over the adja- 
cent country. Anjer is not very much of a place, and 
owes its importance to being the shipping-port for 
the coffee and spices of the fertile islands of Java 
and Sumatra, and being situated at the mouth of the 
narrow passage leading into the Java Sea, and on the 
great thoroughfare to the farther East Indies, China, 


294 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


and Japan. Added to this, the strong current at cer- 
tain seasons of the year compels vessels to anchor and 
to wait for fair wind and tide, which the natives take 
advantage of by trading with each vessel in most 
delicious fruit and vegetables, as I have before re- 
lated. 

After sauntering about till it was dusk, we made 
our way back to the hotel to get our suppei’, and 
afterwards to try to get some rest in the intolerable 
heat we were enduring. 

It was here that we met a charming gentleman, an 
Englishman by birth, who had travelled all over the 
world, and was then on his way to Singapore, and had 
come on shore from his vessel, the Royal George, as 
we had, to see the country. He had formerly been a 
captain in the English army, and for several years 
since his resignation had been floating around and 
enjoying himself in the out-of-the-way places of the 
earth, and, with the adventurous spirit of that nation, 
had often run great risks of his life in his desire to 
reach some given point, or investigate or verify some 
rumor, or enter some place hitherto unknown. Sit- 
ting out on the veranda and smoking our cheroots we 
listened with delight to Captain Elgert’s remarks 
upon men and things, and his short and piquant anec- 
dotes told with modesty, but in a most fascinating 
manner. Finally Mr. Frisbee was so delighted with 
him and his winning ways that he asked him if he 
would not give us a detailed account of some one of 


THE GKEAT WALL OF CHINA 


295 


his adventures that he himself considered as danger- 
ous as any other he had ever passed through. 

‘‘You know, Captain,” continued Mr. Frisbee, 
“ that we can’t sleep in this terrible heat, and must 
wait for this old globe to cool off a little, and it will 
be a real charity to entertain us, as you certainly can ; 
so have mercy upon us poor mariners just off the 
raging main, and give us a good stirring adventure.” 

I added my entreaties to Mr. Frisbee’s ; and the 
captain, seemingly more than half willing to enter- 
tain us, bowed gracefully, and said, “I remember 
an adventure of mine in China, where you are bound, 
that possibly may entertain you, in which, as I shall 
always believe, I had a narrow squeak for my life; 
and if you would like to listen to it, I shall be very 
happy to give it to you exactly as it occurred. If 
you want a title for it, you may call it, ‘ An Adven- 
ture in Northern China near the Ko-pi-ku Pass in 
the Great Wall of China;”’ and lighting a fresh 
cheroot, the captain commenced as follows : — 

“I had left the Pan-Shan Mountains far behind 
me to the left, and was travelling quietly along on 
my English stallion, Colonel, on a narrow cause- 
way leading north-eastward, I did not know exactly 
where. 

“ I was wrapped in memories of the entertaining 
Bonzes of the Pan-Shan Mountains, the Tartar sol- 
diers of the Ko-pi-ku Pass, and the great wall of 
China, running up and down over the precipitous 


296 


LOG OF THE MxlRYLAND 


sides of the mountains, till lost in the far dis- 
tance. 

“I was also thinking of the strange adventures 
that I had already met with, while running over this 
lovely portion of the Celestial Kingdom without a 
companion of my own race to accompany me. 

‘‘ Leisurely following in my wake came my Chinese 
cart, mule, and driver, and after him, on foot, my 
Chinese boy Luchee, from Tien-Tsin, leading my 
brace of pointers. Flash and Fawn. 

“ Stowed away in my Chinese cart without springs, 
was my change of clothing, one hundred dollars in 
copper cash, one thousand to the dollar, my double- 
barrelled Joe Manton shot-gun, and my Westley 
Richards rifle, and sundry boxes of preserved meats, 
ammunition, Bass’s ale, etc. 

“At my saddle-bow were affixed huge bear-skin 
covered holsters, each containing a nine-inch, army 
size, Colt’s revolver, of the largest calibre. 

“ Attached to the saddle on the left, hung a 
splendid English sabre, long and straight. 

“ Attached to a belt around my person was a short 
poniard and a small five-inch Colt’s revolver; and 
hidden within my vest, next to my skin, Avas a 
dainty little revolver with seven chambers, that only ^ 
weighed a few ounces, that I had concealed to be 
used, in the last emergency, upon myself, rather 
than to be tortured to death by Tartars or ruthless 
Chinese ; and, for still another chance to escape such 


A JOURNEY IN CHINA 


297 


a death, I had, hidden away under the folds of my 
flannel shirt-collar, a small vial of prussic acid. 

“Thus armed and equipped, I was invading a 
country at that time but little known to foreigners. 

“I do not know why it should be so, as I have 
never visited Spain, but I imagined that the portion 
of the country I was travelling through much re- 
sembled it. Perhaps I got this impression from the 
illustrations to my “ Don Quixote ; ” at any rate, the 
journey put me in mind of the gallant Don. Small 
villages were separated by long plains of dreary flat 
land, without tree or shrub to relieve the eye ; while 
at a distance ahead, I was given to understand by my 
Chinese driver and by my boy, lay a great city that 
no foreigner had ever visited, and which, therefore, 
I was determined to see. 

“I should say here that this journey took place 
shortly after the peace declared between China, Eng- 
land, and France, after the taking of the Ta-ku forts, 
the battle of Tien-Tsin and Tung-a-Chow, the burn- 
ing of the summer palace of the Emperor, his escape, 
and the investment of Peking by the allied armies 
of England and France. 

“As I moved slowly forward on my journey on 
the level highway, I perceived advancing towards 
me a cavalcade from the farther extremity of the 
plain, consisting of some eight or ten persons mounted 
on mules. 

“ I immediately unslung my field-glasses, and fixed 


298 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


its focus upon them. It was evidently a Chinese 
mandarin and his followers, making a journey like 
myself. The soldiers were armed with bows and 
arrows, and the whole equipage looked as if bodily 
transferred from some ancient museum of wax figures 
purporting to picture the appearance of a body of 
armed men of the fourteenth century. 

‘‘ As they came nearer I could see through my 
field-glasses that the habiliments of the soldiers were 
worn, faded, and tattered, and that of the mandarin 
was, although of silk, also soiled and fanS. They 
were evidently as interested in my advance as I was 
in their approach ; and I saw the bows were being 
unstrung, and that the ten followers closed up in 
a sort of military style. This set me to loosing the 
flaps of my holsters and easing the pistols therein, 
and, handing my English loaded riding-wliip to 
Luchee, to draw my sabre to replace it. Thus, both 
on guard, we finally met. But before we had come 
close together the mandarin had evidently made out 
that I was ixfanqui (white devil) ; for as he passed 
me, he was the personification of puffed-up arrogance 
and pride, and, casting his eyes neither to the right 
nor the left, seemed, after he had passed, to be dum- 
founded not to have seen me fall off my horse in 
abject terror at his magnificent appearance and the 
warlike appearance of his followers. A scowl was 
on his swarthy features as he went by, and his short 
stirrups carried his fat knees up almost upon a level 


A MANDARIN AND RETINUE 


299 


with the pommel of his antique and heathenish 
saddle, which supported his gross and corpulent 
body. The followers, copying their master, passed 
by, each with a set and surly look, but could not 
control themselves quite as well as the mandarin in 
relation to the use of their eyes, and in spite of 
themselves looked at me sidewise from head to foot. 
The mule that his highness rode was a beautiful 
animal, but those of the soldiery were sorry beasts. 
The English-trained charger upon which I rode, 
standing fifteen and one-half hands high, made them 
all look like pygmies ; and I was well aware that not 
a living animal in all Northern China could compete 
for a moment in speed or endurance with my gallant 
charger. 

“Well, we passed without mishap, but with great 
dislike evidently on the part of the mandarin. After 
all had passed some little distance, I could not re- 
strain myself from being so impolite as to burst into 
a fit of laughter, at which my boy Luchee and the 
driver were greatly scandalized, and gave me to 
understand that a very great dignitary had passed by, 
to whom I should have shown some deference ; but 
I could not see it in that light. 

“After this episode we travelled on towards 
Myuen, which finally appeared as a walled city in 
the far distance. 

“Suffice it to say that in due time we came up 
to it, planted on the level plain, and enclosed with 


300 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


walls of sun-dried brick, with towers at regular 
intervals, about one hundred yards apart. 

“ The walls were, I should think, about forty feet 
high, and the towers perhaps fifty. The whole city 
was also surrounded by a moat filled with water, 
and some twenty or thirty feet in width. I rode 
along the side of this moat at least a mile and one- 
half before coming to the bridge and gateway that 
led into the city on that side. 

“Taking the city as a square, which it undoubtedly 
was, the wall on each of the four sides was at least 
three miles in length, or twelve miles of wall and 
moat in all. 

“ The gateway into the city was large and impos- 
ing, and wound in through one very high tower, and 
then through a second inner one before reaching the 
narrow street of the city proper. 

“ These gateways were adorned with massive gates 
of at least twenty-five feet in height, and perhaps 
eighteen inches thick, and were in the form of all 
gates that fit into an arched superstructure. They 
had evidently not been closed or moved for many 
years, but stood wide open on rusty hinges against 
the walls of the arch which they were supposed to 
guard. 

“ As soon as I was within the city, a numerous but 
inoffensive crowd at once commenced to block up 
the narrow street and surround my person ; and, 
coming soon to the customary inn, I made a dive 


A CHINESE INN 301 

inside, and the gates of the inn-yard were, at my 
repeated requests by signals, finally closed against 
the mob. ' 

“ In a few moments the inn-keeper and his friends 
appeared at my horse’s side, and, making obeisance, 
signed for me to alight. I did so as soon as Luchee 
came forward to hold my stirrup. 

“ The person who has dreamed of Oriental splendor 
should see one of these inns. The ones that Don 
Quixote visited must have been exactly similar to 
them in poverty, filth, and degradation. 

“ The inn itself was a series of connected huts, or 
rooms, one story high, made out of mud and chopped 
straw, with thatched roof. The inn-yard was sur- 
rounded by a high, thick wall of the same material, 
with quite strong wooden gates in the centre, which 
we had just had closed. 

“ The inn-yard was filled with carriers’ carts, mules, 
and their litter, hens and geese, stalks of millet 
for fodder, and utensils bearing an air of decay, and 
in form and shape reminding one of pictures of the 
implements in use in the fifteenth century. 

“ Having dismounted, and seen my horse. Colonel, 
tethered to a trough and enjoying a nice feed of 
millet, I was shown to my particular room in this 
mud inn, and had my holsters, pistols, and most 
important goods brought into it and placed near me. 

“ The trouble with these mud walls is, that, when- 
ever you touch them, a portion of dried mud is left 


302 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


on your hand, or dress, or whatever comes in contact 
with them, and this state of affairs exists forever; all 
the sweeping in the world will not cleanse them. 

“ In each of these rooms is built a bedstead of 
brick, quite large and wide, with an oven underneath 
it, and a thick, broad piece of felt on top. This 
bedstead is the great northern luxury in a climate 
that produces in winter, ice upon the Pei-ho River 
over two feet in thickness. 

“ They were arranging mine as I entered ; that is 
to say, just lighting a large bundle of the dried 
stalks of the millet — very much like our corn-stalks, 
and thrusting it into the oven under my bed, a 
chimney at the head carrying the smoke off through 
the roof. This quick -fuel throws out an intense 
heat, and warms the bricks of which the bed is com- 
posed, so that they keep warm all night. 

“ The news of my arrival, the first white man the 
natives had ever seen, soon spread, and the invaders 
commenced to climb over the inn wall ; but I did not 
trouble myself much about them, being hungry, and 
sat on the bedside watching Luchee cook me some 
warm supper on a brazier of charcoal. 

“My window was of Chinese manufacture; that 
is to say, small apertures of three or four inches 
square, covered with strong paper framed in an outer 
casing of perhaps two feet square. 

“ This gave a subdued light in the daytime ; but as 
to being of any use to see through, it was as useless 
as a window with closed shutters. 


TREACHERY BREWING 


303 


“E'inally niy supper was served; but those outside 
could uo longer restrain their inquisitiveness, and, 
wetting the finger, holes were thrust through my 
host’s paper panes, to which, in each instance, a 
human eye was eagerly glued ; and I ate my supper 
with about thirty or forty of these human optics 
glaring at me through as many holes in the paper 
window. Finally darkness put a period to all this 
nonsense ; and by extinguishing our rush candle, so 
that they could see nothing, the mob finally departed 
and left us in peace. 

“ For the next two days I visited several parts of 
the city on foot, — my horse creating too much con- 
fusion and attention, — and was pushed and jostled 
by the crowds at times, but never injured. 

“The innkeeper had sent with me always upon 
these trips two evidently minor officers or mandarins, 
who had a certain authority over the crowd, and 
kept them from annoying me too much. Finally, on 
the morning of the third day, I got ready for my 
departure, loaded my cart, and, from some unexplain- 
able impulse, sent it out of the city ahead of me, 
dogs and all, and prepared to follow, when Luchee 
came to me, and passing by without attracting atten- 
tion, said in pigeon English, ‘ Look out, two piecy 
man wanchy makey bobbery.’ I looked about, and 
sure enough, there were two officers in red-plumed 
caps that I had not before seen, gesticulating with 
my inn-keeper. I told Luchee to go quick to the 


304 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


other side of the inn-yard and finish saddling Colonel 
at once, and to leave him there, and to get out of 
the city without a moment’s loss of time, to follow 
the cart, catch up with it, and tell the driver to drive 
fast and I would overtake them. 

“ I saw in a moment that my poor unarmed boy 
Luchee could not aid me if any treachery was meant 
and I wanted him out of the way. The loyal fel- 
low, however, would not stir till he had brought 
Colonel fully saddled to where I stood, and saw me 
firmly mounted, then, knowing he could aid me no 
more, and believing, I think, that I was invincible 
on horseback, I saw him quietly slink out of the inn- 
yard, while all the mob were taken up, as usual, in 
gazing at me. 

“ The inn where I had stopped was about two or 
three hundred yards from the city gates. I had been 
in China long enough to know that something was 
brewing that boded me no good ; but I was deter- 
mined not to appear in a hurry, or to precipitate 
events by any hasty action. 

“I sat quietly on horseback, feeling that I was 
more than half safe there, and commenced pulling 
on a pair of gauntlets, and quietly loosing the flaps 
of my holsters, so that I could see that my pistols 
were intact. 

“I then stuck my English riding- whip into my 
right boot-leg, so as to have my right hand clear in 
case of emergency. 


ESCAPE CAPTUKE 


305 


“ All this while my host had been smiling and 
bowing, waiting for his fee. 

“ I knew that the regular price would possibly be 
a dollar ; but having everything all right about me, I 
took three silver dollars from my pocket, and offered 
them to him. He took them, but, as soon as he had 
them in his hand, drew back with a changed air; and 
the two red-plumed officers started up from where 
they had been sitting quietly heretofore, and placed 
themselves one on each side of my horse’s bridle, 
grasped it, and made signs that I must pay more 
money. I had a few hundred loose copper cash in my 
coat-pocket, and I pulled out a handful and offered 
them ; but with a sign of contempt they shook their 
head at the paltry bribe, and one was reckless enough 
in his insane barbaric hatred and envy, to draw his 
finger across his throat with his disengaged hand, 
the other holding my horse’s bridle, and followed it 
sharply with a sign for me to dismount. 

“ Then I knew affairs had become serious. I threw 
the copper cash I held into the air, to distract the 
attention of the crowd that surrounded me, and with 
almost the same motion, drew my sabre, gave the 
right and left cut with its back on the wrists of the 
two obstinate rascals who held my horse’s bridle, 
dashed in the spurs, and, as with a snort of pain and 
surprise my noble charger rose into the air, pushed 
for the open gateway, knocking down everybody of 
the mob who was in the way. 


306 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“As I dashed down the narrow Chinese street I 
saw ahead of me a bunch of spearmen trying to get 
into some kind of order to stop my progress, and I 
knew that it was liberty or death to me to pierce 
them ; s6 raising a most frightful yell, and swinging 
my sabre over my head in the most approved mouli- 
net form, I charged them ; but the appearance of 
myself and my gallant charger was too much for 
them, and they broke before I reached and dashed 
through them at racing speed. . 

“ When I reached the gates I found a body of men 
at work on them. One gate was already closed, 
and with levers they were at work on the other ; 
but being unarmed, my terrific yells and speed of 
horse dispersed them, and dashing out upon the- 
plain, I was a free man, as no horse in all Northern 
China could approach mine in speed and endur- 
ance : and in the primitive way that news is dissemi- 
nated in that country, with no newspapers, it was 
probable that for months no other neighboring city 
would hear of my escapade, and that, if I chose to 
tell the tale, I could be ‘the bearer of my own adven- 
ture all over China. The- heaviness of the gate, its 
rusty hinges upon which it had leaned through years 
of peace, had saved my life. If the gates had shut 
to, easily, I should have been in a mousetrap. 

“I soon overtook my cart, and Luchee was de- 
lighted to see me safe and sound. 

“ I told him what I had done ; and he, with the 


OPEN FIRE UPON THE MOB 


307 


Chinese instinct of cruelty, said that I ought to have 
struck the wrists of those who held my horse with 
the edge of my sabre. 

“He said they wanted to rob me of all my valu- 
ables and then kill me, and that they were very glad 
to have him and the driver get out of the city so 
that they should not be witnesses. 

“In the mean while a gang of some two hundred 
had the temerity to chase us out upon the plain, and 
commenced firing arrows that were coming unpleas- 
antly near. 

“ After leading them out for perhaps half a mile, by 
increasing and decreasing our speed, I suddenly 
turned upon them, and for the first time used my 
pistols. I did not kill anybody, but purposely fired 
in the air ; but when they heard these weapons 
explode, and re-explode, and again explode, they 
were taken with the most abject fright. Most of 
them got back into the city, but others simply fell 
down and screamed with terror. 

I rode up to the city wall, and in my choicest 
Chinese cursed them for a treacherous community, 
and flourished in my hand a passport signed by the 
Tau-toi of Tien-Tsin, granting me permission to visit 
th( 



saw me wave this paper, they sent 


out to me in charge of a young man two very old, 
venerable Chinamen (reverence for age is universal 
in China), who approached, making amicable ges- 


308 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


tures. I handed my Chinese passport to the young 
man, and he handed it to one of the elders, who, in a 
piping voice, read it to the people assembled on the 
walls ; and when the purport of it became known, 
they all fell down on their knees in a universal 
Icoo-tow at the exalted name of the dignitary who had 
issued it. Children were sent out to me from the 
city bringing me candy and Sam-shoo, and all sorts 
of inducements were made to get me to again enter 
the city, that they might show how repentant they 
were for their previous treatment of one who carried 
a passport from the Tau-toi of Tien-Tsin. But 
although I think they were honest, or, at least, meant 
to do me no harm, ‘a scalded dog ever after f^^ cold 
water,’ and, thanking them, I proceeded on my 
journey.” 

We listened with great attention and delight to 
the captain’s story, and thanked him heartily when 
he had finished. As the evening wore on, we passed 
from one subject to aiiother till that of hunting was 
touched upon; and our host, the Malay o, happening 
to be present at that moment, he was asked as to the 
chances of obtaining any game at a reasonable dis- 
tance from the town, to which he replied, “that 
the country swarmed with game, and large game 
too. Why,” said he, “ no less than three days ago, 
a native was killed and devoured by a tiger within 
three miles of where you gentlemen are now sitting ; 
and the damage that is done to the neighboring fruit 


ARRANGE FOR A TIGER-HUNT 


309 


plantations, by monkeys, is something frightful. The 
natives will be very grateful to you gentlemen, if you 
will only shoot a few of these long-tailed thieves.” 

“ I don’t know as I care about the monkeys,” said 
Captain Elgert, “ but I should like to have another 
shot at a tiger. I never killed but one in my life, 
and that was years ago in India.” 

“ And I never even saw one in a wild state,” inter- 
ru ' Mr. Frisbee. 



hat do you say to our getting up a hunt for 


t 


to-morrow^ exclaimed I. 


“Just the very thing,” replied both my compan- 
ions. 


As for “mine host,” he said he could get the 
whole town to accompany us, free gratis, if we desired 
them, so glad would they be to have any of the wild 
beasts and monkeys that infested the neighborhood 
destroyed. 

Fortunately we had all brought our guns, pistols, 
and ammunition on shore with us, thinking that we 
might do some shooting before we went back. 

Our host promised, with great delight, to have 
ponies, guides, and beaters all ready for us in the 
morning; and, with a mutual good-night, we each 
retired to our separate apartments, undressed, and 
threw ourselves down on the soft mats provided for 
us in place of beds, and tried to sleep in the hot 
torrid-zone air. Before I turned in, I walked out to 
the end of the veranda, from whence I could easily 


810 


LOG OF THE MAHYLAN’D 


see the Maryland at anehor, and saw that there was 
no chance, as yet, of her beating up to the anchorage, 
and if she should do so the next day, that her fresh 
water was all engaged, and would be carried off to her 
just the same whether I was present or not. 

Shortly after we had retired, the sea breeze began 
to be felt, and the cool air threw me into a delicious 
slumber, from which I did not wake till called by my 
host in the morning. 

M 



INSPECT OUR PONIES AND GUIDES 


311 


CHAPTER XX. 

A SUCCESSFUL TIGER-HUNT. 

It was a glorious morning, and just the one for a 
hunt, barring the heat. After havhig had several 
buckets of cool water thrown over my head by my 
attendant coolie, I descended to the veranda, clothed 
in a light summer suit, and ready for action. I found 
my companions already there, and waiting only for 
me to sit down to breakfast. 

After the usual salutations we all sat down to a 
delicious cup of coffee, such, as most of my readers 
have never seen or tasted, and the most delicious of 
ripe fruit and baked yams.^'^ 

Breakfast was soon over, and lighting our fragrant 
cheroots, we walked over to the other side of the 
veranda to inspect our ponies and guides. The ani- 
mals that we were to- ride, were, without exception^ 
the most diminutive ponies I had ever cast my eyes 
upon, not excepting the famous Shetland ponies, 
which they very much resembled. I could not 
believe, at first, that they Avould be able to bear our 
weight, much less carry us any distance; but our 
host assured us that they would carry us easily all 
day long. They were, however, so ^ very small, that, 


312 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


when we did mount, Mr. Frisbee’s legs, which were 
very long, just cleared the ground by barely half an 
inch. 

Before we started we took an inventory of our 
arms and equipment. Mr. Frisbee and myself were 
armed with two of the Sharp’s rifles belonging to the 
Maryland, single breech-loaders, and in excellent 
condition, thanks to our armorer Mr. Frisbee, and 
furnished witli^ plenty of ammunition. Besides these 
rifles, we each of us had our double-barrelled gun, and 
were further provided with a short dirk or hunting- 
knife, and" both carried our revolvers in our belts. 

Captain Elgert showed up in full hunting costume, 
and put us both in the shade with his complete and 
tasteful outfit ; but then, it was not to be supposed 
that two persons just from on board ship could com- 
pete with one who was travelling about for just these 
adventures. 

He had a magnificent Rigby rifle of large bore just 
fitted for large game, and carried at his belt a pair of 
handsome revolvers, but took no shot-gun with him, 
as he did not care for any small game, or so he said. 
Of course, in this climate and heat, it was impossible 
for us to carry these arms any great distance, so they 
were turned over to our gun-carriers, who received 
them with great glee and a great showing of what 
ought to have been glistening white teeth, but which 
were, in reality, as black as ink, being stained by' the 
use of the betel-nut, as we use tobacco, a national 


MR. FRISBEE TAKES A HEADER. 


313 


habit and almost universal. Each of us was provided 
with one gun-bearer, an assistant, and two beaters, 
armed with long rods of cane, to thrash the jungle 
with. 

A few mongrel dogs followed at their heels. 
Mounting our gallant steeds amidst the laughter of 
one at the ludicrous appearance of the other, we 
filed out of the town on the narrow pathway, leading 
through and under the magnificent cocoa-nut trees 
that lined both sides of the way, towards the distant 
mountains in rear of the town^' 

We kept up one roar of laughter at each other for 
the first fifteen minutes, which ended in a perfect 
explosion when Mr. Frisbee, who was leading, had, 
by repeated lashings with a small switch that one of 
the coolies had provided him with, succeeded in get- 
ting his pony into a gallop, and the next moment, by 
a sudden turn in the pathway, and his saddle-girth 
giving way at the same moment, was thrown, saddle 
and all, right across the trail, huddling us who were 
following him, into a heap on to our ponies’ necks, 
and almost upon him before we could stop. Mr. 
Frisbee was not hurt ; and when we had caught our 
breath from laughing, and the pony was secured and 
his saddle rearranged, we broke out again, on seeing 
Mr. Frisbee moijnt his steed so as not to disarrange 
the saddle, by deliberately going behind his pony, 
and walking on to him on tiptoe and seating himself 
without mishap. After this episode, which created 


314 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


great merriment amongst our followers, we went on 
without further mishap at a good round pace, for 
we soon found out that these little ponies, although 
small, could get over the ground at a good pace if 
made to ; and aided by the beaters, who gave them a 
whack in the rear every once in a while, we went 
along finely. Everything would have been lovely 
had it not been for the heat, which was simply intol- 
erable ; and we did nothing but mop, mop, mop with 
our bandannas, with which we, forewarned, were well 
supplied. After a ride of three or four miles we left 
the cocoa-nut tree grove behind us, and the country 
became more open and broken ; and we dismounted 
to give the ponies and all of us a short rest, and 
sought shelter from the burning rays of the ‘sun 
under the shade of a magnificent tree near the way- 
side, whose grand branches were wide enough to 
take us, ponies and all, under its grateful shadow. 

After a long rest and a light lunch and some 
English beer, we again mounted and started on our 
journey. The chaparral and undergrowth began to 
be quite thick, and the pathway more and more 
indistinct as we ascended the slope before us, and 
shortly afterwards we were compelled to abandon our 
ponies and proceed on foot. I created a great deal 
of merriment for my companions, for everything that 
I saw I took for a snake. And well I might ; for 
when the Dutch officers took us round their fort to 
show us the guns, I counted no less than eight snakes 


ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SNAKES 


315 


with their heads stuck out of the embankment 
between us and the moat filled with stagnant water. 

When I asked the Commandant if they were venom- 
ous, he replied with the utmost sang f void ^ “ Oh, yes, I 
imagine so,” as if it was the most natural thing in the 
world. And when I asked him why he did not have 
them exterminated, he said, “ If I should have those 
killed that you see, they would be replaced by others 
in twenty-four hours, and it is not easy to reach 
them where they live half-way down the embankment ; 
and, if I should order men to be lowered down to fight 
them, some one might get bitten ; and, as they never 
leave the moat and come in to the fort, it is the best 
plan to leave them alone where they trouble no one ; 
and, as for exterminating them, that is out of the ques- 
tion.” Now, I never did like snakes, and this knowl- 
edge of their ‘‘ numerosity ” made me very nervous. 
My companions were not at all free from the same 
feeling, but I showed it the most ; so to cover up 
their own dread they amused themselves by laughing 
at me. Now, in reality, it was no laughing-matter; 
and we all felt that in undertaking this trip we ran 
as much danger, if not more, from snakes as from 
tigers or other wild beasts. 

Leaving our ponies, therefore, at a convenient spot 
under the branches of a noble tree, we prepared to 
enter the jungle by the numerous pathways that 
seemingly ran through it, and to penetrate it wher- 
ever practicable. Having dismounted, we each took 


316 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


our rifle from our gun-carrier, and prepared to enter. 
Before starting in, we agreed upon a set of signals 
that should bring us together in case of emergency. 
We were all fitted out with sportsmen’s^ whistles, and 
it was understood that we were not to stray many 
hundred yards apart ; and to denote our locality, any 
one of us was at liberty to blow a single blast at 
any time, which the others were to reply to. 

Two blasts were to denote that all was well, or 
that we had made a good shot ; and three blasts were 
only to be blown in case of great emergency. If one 
of us got parted from the other, he was to make his 
way back to the ponies, under the guidance of his 
gun-carrier, and there wait for the rest of us. It was 
understood that we should not remain in the jungle 
more than two hours, unless detained by big game, 
and “ snakes ” added I, to the agreement. On our way 
hither, we had seen plenty of parrots and other small 
game, that would have satisfied any sportsman who 
was not in search of big game ; but it was under- 
stood that we should not fire at anything smaller 
than a monkey till we had beaten the jungle for an 
hour in hopes to find a regular man-eater, and not 
even at a monkey or deer, if we by any chance came 
upon any good “sign” or “spoor.” 

All these necessary preliminaries having been 
satisfactorily arranged, we separated slightly, and 
plunged in, each of us preceded by our two beaters 
and a proportion of the mongrel dogs, and, in the 


ALARM SIGNALS 


317 


case of Mr. Frisbee and myself, closely followed by 
our gun-bearers with our shot-guns loaded with heavy 
shot, right at our elbow, they being followed by their 
assistants, who brought up the rear. Captain Elgert 
took the right, I took the centre, and Mr. Frisbee the 
left ; my last words being, as we entered the jungle, 
“ Look out for snakes.” I was in a joking mood, and 
had no idea how serious matters were soon to become. 
In fact, the whole proceedings were foolhardy in the 
extreme ; and it was a wonder, as subsequent events 
proved, that we came out of that jungle alive. We 
had been in the jungle, possibly half an hour, in 
which time the dogs had done considerable yelping, 
but as yet had hit no trail, when, far to the right, I 
heard the captain’s dogs open with full tongue, and 
, knew in a moment they had found something, for the 
curs that were in front of me joined in the chorus, 
and by their yelps I could understand that they had 
started to join their companions in front of the cap- 
tain. The jungle had many open spaces where the 
walking was good, and many other spots that were 
impenetrable, and others that Ave could with difficulty 
iforce ourselves through. Shortly after this I ’heard 
the bang of the captain’s heavy rifle, and then his 
whistle sounded distinctly three blasts. Repeating the 
signal for Mr. Frisbee, who ansAvered me, I turned 
has-tily in the direction from which I had heard the 
shot, and from Avhich noAV came the sound of the 
whining dogs. After a struggle with the undergrowth 


318 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


of about ten minutes, I came out upon an open glade, 
in which I found Captain Elgert standing, evidently 
waiting for me. 

It seems that, as he was sauntering along across 
this glade, or opening, not having much faith in 
seeing anytliing, all at once a magnificent tiger i 
bounded out of the jungle, about fifty yards to his | 
right, and, taking no notice of him, attempted to cross; 
to the opposite side, having been annoyed, no doubt, i 
by the snarling curs which were now whimpering at 
our heels. To raise his gun and fire was an instinct 
with the brave captain, and his prey fell heavily in 
the open glade, regained its feet, and bounded into 
the jungle ; and the captain was sure he had 
wounded him severely, if not fatally. By this time 
Mr. Frisbee had arrived on the scene, and we relatec 
to him what had happened. Now what was to be 
done? We were none of us cowards; but now we 
had found our game, there was a most serious^ 
expression on all our faces. As to the Malays,j 
they were all ready to take to their heels at a mo-j 
ment’s notice, and a glance at them showed that the}! 
could not be depended upon for any service of greats 
danger. And who could blame them, unarmed as 
they were, when we with arms in our hands felt any- 
thing but comfortable ? | 

Finally, said Captain Elgert, “ That tiger is in thatt 
jungle, and we have got to get him out ; and there isl 
but one way, and that is to stalk him. I believe that 


THE TIGER AT BAY 


319 


he is so severely wounded that there is not much 
danger ; but, wounded or not, the thing has got to be 
done.” 

This started our American grit, and we both replied 
that we were ready to obey any orders. 

I don’t think anybody had been exactly afraid ; but 
Mr. Frisbee and myself naturally leaned a little on 
the captain, as he had been in the business before, 
and was therefore naturally the leader. 

“ Now, I’ll tell you what we will do,” continued 
the captain. “ In the first place, we will have one of 
the beaters tie those curs together, and get out of the 
jungle with them just as quick as possible.” 

No sooner said than done, and glad enough was 
the one chosen, to take his departure. And after a 
moment’s thought the captain ordered all back to 
the ponies except the three gun-bearers. These he 
told to remain. I don’t know what kind of lingo he 
spoke, but they evidently understood his words or 
gestures : at any rate, they seemed to have regained 
their courage, and looked as if they would stand by 
us. 

“ Now the greatest danger will be in our shooting 
each other,” said the captain ; “ for our only chance is 
in surrounding the jungle, and shooting him as he 
comes out, if he is not already dead, which I think is 
the case. You see, the jungle does not extend but a 
short distance to the right, as you can see from here ; 
and I don’t think it extends far back, but is a sort of 
an oasis.”' 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ You are perfectly right, Captain Elg'ert, in your 
conjectures,” said I ; “for when I turned to come here, 
in answer to your summons, I was considerably in 
advance of you ; and on my way to you, I saw that 
the patch ahead of us was separated from the jungle 
on the farther side by at least five hundred yards.” 

“ Ah ! ” exclaimed Captain Elgert, “ I thought so. 
Now nothing remains but for one of us to run to the 
end there to the right, and see if the whole jungle is 
not an oasis ; and if so, we have him sure.” 

“ I’m your man for that,” said Mr. Frisbee ; and off 
he went like a shot to explore, and was back in less 
than five minutes with the news that the jungle was 
an island, and not over three acres in extent. 

“ By jingo, we’ll have him sure now ! ” said Cap- 
tain Elgert. “Now, Mr. Frisbee, will you oblige me 
by going to the rear of this oasis, and seating your- 
self near some pathway that leads out of it that you 
think he may possibly choose in coming out, if he 
should come out your way? There can’t be many 
pathways, possibly only one, through this almost 
impenetrable undergrowth.” 

And Mr. Frisbee, by this time filled only with the 
ardor of a natural sportsman, departed on his way 
rejoicing, taking his gun-bearer with him. 

“ Now, Captain Frisbee, if you will take the right 
of the island, and do as Mr. Frisbee has been 
requested to do, I think we shall get him ; for I feel 
confident that he won’t break cover to the left, for all 


WAITING FOR THE TIGER 


321 


your dogs came up from that quarter, and he has not 
forgotten it.” 

“ All right ; I’m off,” said 1. 

The captain turned from me to hail Mr. Frisbee, 
who was still in sight, to sing out, “We must take 
some chances, but don’t shoot in the direction of each 
other if avoidable. Now,” said the captain, “I’m 
going in to stalk that tiger; and if I miss him, look 
out for him.” And, shaking hands with me, he 
plunged into the jungle, followed by his gun-bearer, 
who carried, by the captain’s direction, a few car- 
tridges in his hand ready for instant use. 

I hurried to my post, and finding quite a well-worn 
pathway, stationed myself in advance of it, a short 
distance out on the open. I had had my own ideas 
about this whole scrape, and, although perfectly will- 
ing to be governed in the details by such a gallant 
fellow as Captain Elgert, had my own ideas of how 
to protect myself. So, seating myself, I deliberately 
laid down the rifle by my side, and called upon my 
gun-bearer to hand me my double-barrelled gun. I 
knew very well that I could not hit a tiger with a 
rifle-ball when on the full run ; but I also knew that 
a charge of shot fired into him at two or three feet 
distance would tear a hole through him that I could 
put my arm through, and that shot from a very short 
distance is more effective than the best rifle-bullet 
that was ever moulded. 

I waited some fifteen minutes in the greatest 


S22 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


excitement before I heard a sound ; and just as I had 
begun to despair of our success, bang ! went Captain 
Elgert’s heavy rifle, followed a minute later by Mr. 
Frisbee’s Sharp’s. What could be the matter! Was 
the 'jungle alive with tigers ? But just as I thought 
this, and that there was to be no chance for me to 
show my prowess, I heard the bound of a heavy 
animal breaking through the jungle in my direction. 
My heart came into my mouth ; but I grasped my gun 
firmly, and had barely time to put it to my shoulder, 
when, with a fiendish roar of anger and pain, a royal 
tiger bounded into the air and upon me. As he was 
in mid-air, I fired by instinct at his throat; and, over- 
shooting me in his mad jump, he fell upon my poor 
gun-bearer, stone dead, with a hole through his tlu’oat 
that you could put your arm through. His bound 
had, however, been so terrific that in his fall he had 
broken the arm of my Malay companion. My shouts 
soon brought Captain Elgert and Mr. Frisbee to my 
side, and glad were we all to see each other safe and 
sound. Mr. Frisbee’s gun-bearer was despatched to 
the ponies to convey the good news and to bring up 
the men; while I bound up my poor gun-bearer’s 
broken arm, which happily was only a simple fracture 
of the forearm. And then, after carefully examining 
our prey, we compared notes. 

He was a most magnificent animal, and met his 
death as follows : the first shot of the captain had 
evidently struck and broken off a small portion of 



See page '^22 






THE TIGER’S WOUNDS 


323 


the shoulder-blade, but not sufficient to greatly dis- 
able him, but enough to send him to cover. Wheh 
the captain* stalked him in the jungle, he expected 
to find him dead ; but, as he was creeping along, fol- 
lowing his trail, an angry growl showed him where 
his enemy was, and that most assuredly he was not 
dead. Nothing daunted, the captain drew a bead on 
him, although he was not lying in a favorable posi- 
tion, but he was afraid he would charge, and was 
forced to aim at his head. An examination of the 
body of the tiger showed where the ball had struck 
the frontal bone, cutting a groove in the skin, and 
then glanced off. Luckily the shock was sufficient 
to deter the tiger from charging; and turning, he 
made for the pathway that led towards Mr. Frisbee, 
who saluted him with a bullet in the breast, which, 
however, did not kill him^ but turned him, as the cap- 
tain’s shot had done. And then he came for me, evi- 
dently determined not to be stopped this time, and 
there he met his death. 

Upon the arrival of the men, we all set to work, 
and in a very short time had his splendid skin 
stripped from his body, and were on our way to the 
ponies, mounting which, we made our way to Anjer 
as quickly as possible, leaving our servants to make 
a litter to bring in our wounded Malay on. We 
were received with great honor by our host ; and in 
the evening nearly every living soul in Anjer came to 
the hotel to look at that tiger’s skin, and we were the 


824 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


heroes of the hour. When my wounded gun-hearer 
appeared, he was handed over to the Dutch surgeon 
at the fort, who soon set his arm, and said he would 
be all right in three weeks’ time. 

We also made up a handsome purse for him; and, 
from what we could understand, every Malay in 
Anjer would like to have his arm broken at the same 
price every week. Besides, all the Malays in Anjer 
believe to this day that I missed the tiger with the 
rifle, and that my gun-carrier shot him with my shot- 
gun, thereby saving my life. 

Tired and worn out, we sat down to a light supper; 
and then with a glance at the old Maryland still in 
the same place, we bade each other a good-night and 
betook ourselves to bed. 


GOOD-BY TO CAPTAIN ELGERT 


325 


CHAPTER XXI. 

MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF TWO YANKEE WHALING 
CAPTAINS. — TAKE A RIDE TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, ONE 

HUNDRED AND TWENTY FEET HIGH. AN ADVENTURE 

WITH A HUGE BOA-CONSTRICTOR. DEATH OF C^SAR. 

The next morning we were all of us too tired to 
get up early, and were glad to lie in bed till well into 
the forenoon. Finally we met at a late breakfast, 
and talked over our adventure with the tiger in all 
its bearings, with Captain Elgert, and were pained 
to find that he felt as if he must go on board, and, 
certainly, could not indulge in any more excursions; 
for it was only for the reason that the Royal George 
had been taking in her water the day before, that he 
had been able to accompany us at all. Now that she 
lay just off the town with her anchor hove short, 
ready to take advantage of the slightest slant of fair 
wind, he felt that he must return on board and at 
once, for the vessel could not afford to wait for him 
should the wind spring up fair; so after breakfast, 
with great reluctance, we took a long and last fare- 
well of our charming companion, who went on board 
of his ship, and we saw him no more. 

Having nothing to do, we soon afterwards walked 


326 


LOG OF THE MAKYLAND 


down to the jetty, and with longing eyes looked 
at the Maryland lying at anchor off the lighthouse, 
as yet unable to beat up to the anchorage. As we 
stood longing to be on board of the old craft, for 
which we had become a wee bit homesick, two splen- 
did whale-boats with complete crews approached the 
jetty, evidently from the two American whalers that 
lay off the town and that we had before noticed. As 
the boats came up to the jetty on opposite sides, two 
manly-looking skippers jumped ashore, and, seeing 
Mr. Frisbee and myself, came forward in a frank and 
pleasant manner, and introduced themselves as coun- 
trymen; for with the sagacity of seamen in affairs 
that appertain to their profession, they knew by the 
“ cut of her jib ” that the Maryland was an American 
vessel long before she showed her colors, when she 
came to an anchor; and we had as unerringly placed 
them as American whalers soon after we sighted 
them, in standing in to an anchorage. They had 
called alongside the day we came ashore, but feared 
that we were not on board, as they saw the boat go on 
shore: however, they had a good chat with Mr. 
Cutter, and invited him to call and see them if he 
found leisure before the bark sailed. 

One of these captains introduced himself as Cap- 
tain Spaulding, of the ship Martha, of Martha’s 
Vineyard, and then his companion as Captain Smith, 
of the bark Belle, of Warren, R. I. 

We were very glad to greet them, and gave them 


FRESH COCOANUTS FROM THE TREE 327 


our names and whither we were bound, etc. They 
were more than delighted to meet us, for, as they 
informed us, they had been over three years away 
from home, and had not seen an American for over 
two years ; they were eager for the latest news from 
their beloved country, and, when they found we 
hailed from within fifty miles of their own home, 
their joy was unbounded. We went back with them 
to the hotel, and sat down and had a long chat with 
them. It w^as finally proposed that we take a ride to 
the lighthouse and examine it ; so, calling our host, we 
ordered the inevitable ponies, as being the only means 
of locomotion in these parts, and set out. We had 
the usual jokes at each other’s ridiculous appearance. 
As we passed through and under the magnificent 
cocoa-nut trees, we were enticed by Captain Spaulding 
to dismount and try the tempting fruit in all its lux- 
uriant freshness. Our grooms, who had been follow- 
ing us on foot, came up and held the ponies; while 
one of them, using his hands and feet the same as a 
monkey would, soon gained the top of one of the 
trees that overshadowed us, and cut off and threw 
down to us half a dozen of the half-ripe nuts, and 
then descended. With his sharp yataghan, he cut 
straight across the top of the nut, which was in an 
immature state, and exposed to our view a natural 
bowl containing at the very least a full quart of 
liquor surrounded by the half-formed meat in a state 
like thick clotted cream, that was easily scraped out 


328 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


by means of a wooden spoon made on the spot. The 
liquor was delicious, and the half-formed meat was 
like ambrosia. We who eat cocoa-nuts after they 
have become hard and matured, as we receive them at 
home, have no idea of what this fruit is in its natural 
state, a feast fit for the gods. We supplemented 
the cocoa-nuts by bananas picked from the banana- 
trees by our side, and ended with a pineapple, the 
fragrance of which filled the air when it was cut and 
placed before us. Whether this paradise belonged to 
any person, or not, I shall never know ; but I do know, 
that we were not called upon by any person to pay 
one penny for our feast, and the grooms helped us 
and themselves as if they owned the whole plantation, 
and, most wonderful to relate, did not even hint at 
our giving them any fee. After this repast, which I 
never expect to see duplicated on this earth in the 
fruit line, we again mounted our ponies and set off 
for the lighthouse. 

After a ride of about six miles in a fearful heat, 
we arrived at our destination, and were very kindly 
received by the lighthouse keeper, a Dutchman, and 
invited to ascend and examine the light. We found, 
upon inquiry and inspection, that the lighthouse is 
one hundred and twenty feet high, furnished with 
Parisian plate-glass reflectors, and fed with cocoa-nut 
oil. It is situated, as I have before intimated, about 
six miles to the southard of the town, and lights up 
the whole magnificent bay seaward. As we stood 


A MONKEY-HUNT 


329 


leaning against the railing at the summit, we looked 
down upon the Maryland, seemingly almost at our 
feet, under full sail, and making another futile attempt 
to beat up to the anchorage against a head wind and 
tide. We tried every means to attract the attention 
of Mr. Cutter by waving handkerchiefs and so forth, 
but it was no use, he did not seem to see us ; and yet 
he went about twice, at a distance of not over two 
miles from where we were gazing down upon him. 
Having had our fill of the lighthouse, we descended 
and made our way back to the town, and all sat down 
to dinner together, the two whaling captains being 
our inseparable companions. 

After dinner Mr. Frisbee and myself concluded to 
have one more hunt, and, bidding a temporary fare- 
well to our genial companions, set out. 

We were fitted out this time to shoot monkeys 
only, and accompanied by our Malay followers, as 
before, left Anjer to climb the upland in search of 
our game. Mr. Frisbee and myself and the carpen- 
ter — who had come on shore in a native canoe just 
before dinner, by permission of Mr. Cutter, bringing 
his old-fashioned gun with him — mounted our 
diminutive ponies, and piloted by our guides made 
our way through the majestic palm-grove toward the 
distant mountain-side, but in a different direction 
from where we had shot the tiger. 

Hot was no name for the heat in this torrid-zone 
town. As before, the guides carried our guns and 


330 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


ammunition ; and we rode out of the town, at least 
three or four miles, till we came to the seaward slope 
of the mountainous background of the island. Here 
we dismounted to find our game. The Malays were 
enchanted to have us hunt these monkeys ; for, as I 
have said elsewhere, they are so numerous that they 
invade plantations in organized bands, and often in 
one raid destroy whole crops of bananas and fruits 
that are being raised for sale to the ships continually 
passing through the Straits of Anjer. 

The monkeys that we were in search of band 
together in communities, and, except for their depre- 
dation, are not to be feared ; but there also exists one 
species, nearly as large as a well-grown boy, which 
have been known to attack solitary natives, and to 
have absolutely bitten them to death. These,* how- 
ever, we did not fear, even if we should meet them, 
as we were armed with double-barrelled shot-guns, 
loaded with buckshot. Besides these large monkeys, or 
apes, we were in danger of coming at any time upon 
some horrible tropical-region monster, such as our 
tiger, which might tax our skill as marksmen, and 
place us in real danger. 

As we entered the jungle we separated somewhat, 
each with two guides to cut down such obstructions 
as we should meet. W e kept within the sound of each 
other’s voice, but far enough apart so as not to shoot 
into each other should we find game. As for myself, 
what with mopping my face on account of the intense 


SHOOTING MONKEYS 


331 


heat, and looking for serpents under foot, I was not 
very arduous in the pursuit, but had a vivid remem- 
brance of our late tiger-hunt. However, we plunged 
in; and a shot once in a while from the carpenter or 
Mr. Frisbee, with an inquiry from myself as to what 
it was, announced the fact that a few pheasants, 
parrots, cockatoos, and sundry other small* game, had 
already fallen victims to our skill with our firearms. 

As we advanced farther into the jungle my guide 
made signs that we w*ere approaching the place where 
we might expect to find the monkeys in the tree-tops, 
and at that very moment we were saluted with their 
screams and chattering. 

Luckily for the success of our sport, the under- 
growth here was less dense; and we soon had an 
opportunity to chase them about from tree-top to tree- 
top, and to bag a considerable number. Each one 
that was killed elicited a cry of joy and delight from 
the Malays, and they were as elated as a New Eng- 
land farmer would have been to see a crow or hen- 
hawk exterminated. 

My companions finally strayed away to a distance, 
and a discharge from their firearms once in a while 
alone denoted where they were. I had some time 
since ceased, on account of the excessive heat, to 
follow up the fleeing and frightened monkeys, having 
become satiated with the sport, and was sitting down 
on a trunk of a tree, when the carpenter with his 
guides appeared in an opening in the jungle, coming 
towards me. 


332 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


He had been very successful, and the Malays were 
loaded down with game. The carpenter came and 
sat down beside me, and for a few moments we spent 
the time in comparing notes, and then waited to hear 
the report of Mr. Frisbee’s gun, which had not been 
discharged for some little time. Finally, becoming 
somewhat alarmed at his prolonged absence, we com- 
menced shouting for him, but received no reply. The 
natives also with us began to gesticulate and chatter, 
and then to listen. 

Presently we were all of us startled by a low but 
very distinct moan, that of a human being in peril, 
and my mind at once reverted to our late tiger-hunt. 

At this very moment Mr. Frisbee’s guides came 
rushing in upon us with signs of terror depicted upon 
their faces, showing plainly that something terrible 
had occurred, probably to Mr. Frisbee. 

By signs they gave us to understand that it had 
something to do with a snake ; and seizing our guns 
we started towards the jungle, and made signs for the 
Malays to show us the spot where they had left Mr. 
Frisbee. 

They ran towards the jungle from which they had 
just emerged, and plunged in ; and with anxiety and 
apprehension we followed them, until we came out 
upon a sort of opening, in the centre of which stood 
a stunted tree with sparse foliage ; and, lo and behold ! 
in its very top was perched Mr. Frisbee, with a face 
devoid of all color, and seemingly in a fainting state, 


THE BOA CONSTKICTOR 


333 


armed with a small branch of a tree that he had 
broken off, in his right hand, awaiting the slow but 
steady approach of a huge hoa constrictor that was 
winding himself round about the tree, and steadily 
ascending towards him. 

We were just in time. With the same impulse, the 
carpenter and myself discharged our guns into 
the hideous, glistening body of the horrid monster, 
and saw the thrill of death pass through its glossy 
skin from head to tail ; and thus held up by its 
numerous folds over branch and limb and trunk, it 
lay an inanimate mass. 

The natives rushed forward the moment they saw 
that the serpent w^as destroyed, but barely in time to 
receive the body of Mr. Frisbee, on whom the mental 
strain had been too great, and who, tottering, lost his 
hold, and came falling through the branches, into the 
outstretched arms of the natives. 

We soon brought him to, and found that, with the 
exception of severe nervous prostration, he had re- 
ceived no injury. 

The Malays took him in their arms and carried him 
to the place where the ponies had been left, and then 
went back to get the serpent. 

Mr. Frisbee gradually regained his natural courage 
and strength, and told us how the adventure had 
happened. 

It seems that, like myself, he had become tired of 
the sport, and sat down upon a log to rest, on the 


334 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


outskirts of the jungle, and facing this lonely tree, 
when all at once his guides jumped up and ran away 
from him with the speed of the wind. He, of course, 
thought it must be a tiger that had startled them. 

Looking about in dread to see if it was so, he saw 
with horror, directly behind him, and not ten feet 
distant, this horrid monster, gliding along over the 
tangled undergrowth and dead trunks of trees. He 
had no time for thought, or time to recover his gun, 
which, unfortunately, he had carelessly placed at 
some distance from him, but with one desperate . 
bound made for the stunted tree before him, climbed 
to its top, and broke off a branch to protect himself 
with. 

It was at this time, and as the fascination had 
already gained upon him, that he must have made 
that frightful moan. He could not shout ; his voice 
seemed to be lost, and all power of self-control fast 
leaving him. Luckily for him, we were in time, and 
he was saved from a horrible death. Long afterwards 
we used to joke about this adventure, but at the time 
it occurred it seemed like a frightful nightmare. The 
Malays appeared, as Mr. Frisbee finished his recital, 
with the huge boa constrictor, at least twenty-eight 
feet in length ; but Mr. Frisbee could not bear to look 
at it, and it had to be kept out of his sight. Mounted 
on our ponies we returned to town, our guides fol- 
lowing after with our prize, which created great 
interest among the natives, and the Dutch officials at 


THE SHOCK TO MR. FRISBEE 


335 


the Aiijer Fort. The boa was skinned, and the hide 
tanned, and Mr. Frisbee has it now in his possession ; 
but it was weeks after we put to sea before he com- 
pletely recovered from the shock. 

The two whaling captains were more than kind to 
Mr. Frisbee, and proposed to take us all off to the 
Maryland, which would be, they said, the best place 
for Mr. Frisbee, after his shock. A glance down the 
bay showed me the Maryland again at anchor, in 
nearly the same spot, having lost a little ground, if 
possible, instead of gaining anything. I thanked them 
for their kind offer ; and after taking a light supper, 
and fortifying Mr. Frisbee’s stomach with a good 
glass of strong arrack, we entered the two whale-boats, 
Mr. Frisbee and myself in one, and the carpenter in 
the other, and in the comparatively cool night air 
were rowed rapidly towards the Maryland : but Mr. 
Frisbee began again to feel so faint, that it was 
thought best to change our direction, and get on 
board the whalers, which were near at hand ; and this 
was done, Mr. Frisbee and myself going on board the 
ship Martha with Captain Spaulding, and the carpen- 
ter on board the bark Belle with Captain Smith. 
Captain Spaulding, being a good sea-doctor, prepared 
for Mr. Frisbee a small dose of opium, and made him 
turn in ; and an hour afterwards, when we looked in 
upon him, he was sleeping like an infant. 

“He’ll be all right in the morning,” whispered 
Captain Spaulding as we slipped quietly out of his 


336 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


stateroom into the cabin ; nothing the matter but a 
great shock to his nerves, which it will take him a 
little while to get over.” 

And, as I have said, it was weeks before he did 
get over it. I passed a delightful evening talking 
with Captain Spaulding ; and at daylight he kindly 
manned his whale-boat, and took us on board the 
Maryland, Captain Smith following with the car- 
penter in his boat. Mr. Frisbee seemed well, but still 
quite pale and quiet. 

As we neared the Maiyland, a slight breeze of fair 
wind sprung up, the first since we had reached Anjer; 
and from a distance I hailed the Maryland, and 
ordered Mr. Cutter to “up anchor, and make all sail; ” 
and when we finally came alongside, he was already 
under-way, and heading up to the anchorage with a 
light but fair wind. I at once took charge of the 
deck, leaving Mr. Frisbee to do the honors to our 
welcome guests. In an hour and a half the Maryland 
was safe at anchor, and in another half-hour her 
water was alongside. As the wind was still fair, we 
were in a great hurry to get our fresh water on board, 
and get under-way. Mr. Frisbee had been treating 
the two captains to some good New-England cider 
that we had on board ; and they came on deck loaded 
down with some old newspapers and books, for which 
they seemed very grateful, and sailor-like, seeing that 
I was very busy, the water nearly all aboard, and the 
wind fair, gave us a hearty farewell, wished us all 


C^SAR IS DEAD 


837 


manner of good luck, and stepped into their boats, 
and gave us three cheers as the Maryland, freed from 
the bottom, paid off on the starboard tack, and stood 
up past the Button with a fair breeze, every moment 
increasing. 

I had noticed when I came on board, that Mr. 
Cutter looked a little serious and sad ; but I put it 
down at once to his disappointment in not being able 
to get the Maryland up to her anchorage, and to 
seeing a fair wind commence the moment I came 
alongside. All through the excitement of getting 
the Maryland into her berth and at anchor, I had 
missed something, but could not tell what it was, till, 
when we were under full way, I turned to Mr. 
Cutter and said, ‘‘ Goodness gracious ! where is 
Caesar ? ” and then, for the first time, I heard that 
our faithful dog and companion was no more, and 
that his body had been committed to the deep, sewn 
up decently in canvas, the night before. It seems 
that he had had another of his fits during our absence 
on shore, and had run howling about the decks, and 
even driven the crew into the rigging; and that 
finally Mr. Cutter caught him and had him locked up 
in the wheel-house, and that shortly afterwards, pass- 
ing by the door and hearing no sound, he happened to 
glance down upon deck, and noticed a thin stream of 
blood trickling out from under the door, which open- 
ing instantly, he saw poor Caesar lying dead within. 
Buckets of water were thrown over him in hopes to 


338 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


resuscitate him, but in vain ; and the climate was 
such that he could not even keep the body till we 
came on board, but was forced to^ bury it. 

This news depressed me greatly, as it did all on 
board ; and it was with a sad heart, that, at eight bells 
in the evening, I left St. Nicholas Point astern, and 
pointed up into the Java Sea with a fair wind and 
stun’-sails set. 


MOURNING FOR C^SAR* 


339 


CHAPTER XXII. 

DANGERS OF THE SEA OF JAVA. — DISCIPLINE THE CREW 
IN CASE OF AN ATTACK OF PIRATES. — ADVENTURE 
WITH SHARKS AND BLACKFISH. 

The next morning, when I came on deck, after 
being up the greater part of the night, I found the 
old bark plunging along with a fair wind, nearly dead 
astern, and stun’-sails set on both sides. 

I was glad, of course, to feel the fresh, fair wind ; 
but I was also very sad, thinking of poor Caesar, our 
late pet and companion. I missed him sadly, and 
his loss made me feel very melancholy: however, 
there was no use repining, and I tried to throw it off 
my mind. Then, again, we had lately been through 
quite serious adventures, from which we had narrowly 
escaped ; and I presume that this and the shock that 
Mr. Frisbee had experienced also helped to depress 
me. We were now well into' the Sea of Java, that 
peculiar ocean where there are soundings to be had 
at not over forty fathoms in all its vast extent ; and 
being so shallow, the water has a greenish tinge not 
at all pleasant to a sailor’s eye, who hates nothing so 
much as shoal water. As this great sea abounds in 
dangerous shoals, reefs, and islands in its more north- 


340 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


ern part, soon to be reached, the thought of the same 
did not tend to aid my desire to throw off the blues 
and be cheerful. I knew that in a week’s time I 
should be in a spot calling for the best judgment, 
skill, and knowledge of the science of navigation of 
any known sea on earth. Was not this enough to 
make a young captain of only twenty-one years of 
age, anxious? However, I tried to forget it, and 
greeted Mr. Frisbee cheerfully as he stepped on 
deck. 

“ What peculiar colored water. Captain,” said he, 
after kindly returning my good-morning. 

“ Yes,” said I ; ‘‘ not at all a pleasant color to a 
sailor’s eye,” and then I told him why. “You see, 
this sort of water makes one naturally nervous ; for 
although men-of-war of various nations have finally 
sounded this sea pretty thoroughly, still they have 
not done so as thoroughly as they have the coasts of 
civilized countries ; and Jack always fears that there 
will be some shoal (where there is only forty fathoms 
at the best) that has been skipped over or missed, that 
will poke its ugly head far enough towards the sur- 
face to bring his vessel up all a-standing. I don’t 
know as there is any particular danger for us, as we 
draw so little water in comparison with the great 
clipper ships ; but, nevertheless, I shall be glad when 
we again get off soundings. You see, we only draw 
nine feet of water, and would escape many dangers 
that would pick up a larger vessel, drawing, as some 


IN TIME OF PEACE PREPARE FOR WAR 341 


of them do, over twenty-seven feet. However, this 
is one of the risks that all sailors must take, and 
which none can avoid. The worst part of it is, that 
all the seas in this neighborhood are infested by a set 
of Malay pirates, and a vessel once shipwrecked here 
is rarely heard from again. Why, a century ago a 
fine English man-of-war went ashore over here to the 
eastward, on a coral reef, and, with all their crew 
and means for defence, were gradually exterminated 
by the thousand Malay phrows that surrounded them ; 
and only a few of the crew, who had been held as 
slaves for years, finally escaped to carry the news 
home. The bay in which this happened is laid down 
on the chart to this day as Treacherous Bay.” 

‘‘Well, those times have gone by now. Captain,” 
said Mr. Frisbee. 

“Yes; in a great degree,” replied I, “but I shall 
be glad when we are out of the Java Sea;” and Mr. 
Frisbee and I descended the companion-way to break- 
fast. 

As we sat at breakfast, I thought it a good time 
to have a little talk with our armorer, so I com- 
menced as follows: “Mr. Frisbee, I have no desire 
to alarm you, and much less the ship’s crew ; but we 
are in a dangerous sea, and it behooves us to take all 
reasonable precautions against accident and disaster, 
and I am not going to be caught napping. I think 
it is time that we should thoroughly overhaul our 
armament, and see just how we stand as to ammuni- 


342 


I.OG OF THE MARYLAND 


tion and arms, and to-morrow I will assign the men 
to their stations and guns, so that if anything should 
happen, — for we are all in the hands of God, — we 
shall not be unprepared. We shall be in more or 
less danger from this day out, till we arrive at Woo- 
sung at the mouth of the river that leads to Shanghai, 
from the attacks of piratical craft, of Malays in these 
seas, and Chinese as we get farther north: not that 

1 anticipate any trouble, but it is well to be prepared; 
and the chances are, that we shall not be annoyed, but 
we may be ; nobody knows what is going to happen 
in these seas till it does happen. Have you a list of 
all our arms and amount of ammunition on hand ? 
If I remember rightly, you made one some time ago.” 

For answer, Mr. Frisbee rose from the table and 
went to his room, and in a moment returned with a 
small book in his hand, from which he read the 
following : — 

Last inspection of the arms and equipment of the 
Maryland; made Monday, September 6. 

2 Nine-pounders, both lashed firmly opposite their re- 

spective port-holes front of the forward house, and 
ready to be lifted on to the topgallant forecastle, if 
necessary, at a moment’s notice ; both in excellent 
condition, and supplied with plenty of ammunition 
in the magazine in the run aft, consisting of round 
shot, canister, and shrapnel. 

1 Twelve-pound Dahlgren boat-howitzer, working on a 
slide on the quarter-deck aft, and commanding about 


THE ARMORER’S REPORT 343 

270° of a circle, furnished with shot, shell, time 
fuses, and primers, canister and grape, and plenty of 
cartridges, and in perfect condition for immediate 
use. 

6 Sharp’s carbines in the after-cabin, all in good order 
except one, which is slightly out of order as to the 
half-cock (but which the carpenter could repair in 
half an hour so Mr. Prisbee added). 

6 U.S. muzzle-loading muskets with bayonets complete, 
in rack round mizzenmast. All in perfect order, 
but of not much use except at close quarters or to 
repel boarders. 

14 Boarding-pikes in rack on partition between the two 
cabins, in fair order; a little rusty in spots, and 
some of the staffs slightly warped by the hot sea 
air and changes, but as a whole in good condition. 

20 Cutlasses, U.S. pattern, short and heavy, and hung 
between the pikes, each with belt and scabbard, and 
in perfect order, and ready for immediate use. 

2 Colt’s belt-revolvers and 1 muzzle-loading, double- 
barrelled gun, all in good order. — Mr. Frisbee. 

2 Colt’s belt-revolvers and 1 muzzle-loading, double- 
barrelled gun, all in good order. — Captain Frisbee. 

2 English duelling-pistols and 1 single-barrelled, muzzle- 
loading heavy duck-gun, all in complete order. — 
Mr. Cutter. 

1 King’s-arm, old but serviceable. — Carpenter. 

Total, 3 pieces of ordnance, 22 guns, muskets, and 
pistols, 14 boarding-pikes, 20 cutlasses. — Grand Total, 
59 weapons of offence and defence, not counting grains, 
harpoons, and the cook’s hot water and tormentors, 
added Mr. Frisbee jokingly. 


344 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


‘‘Well, Mr. Frisbee,” said I, “I don’t think any- 
body need be ashamed of an armament like that, and, 
thanks to you, in such capital order and condition. 
Now, to-morrow I am going to restation all the men, 
and give them a little practice in case of emergency, 
so that we shall not be an easy prey, at least, to any- 
body who shall attempt to molest us.” 

“Your precautions are very wise, Captain,” said 
Mr. Frisbee, “ as they always are ; and if we do get 
into a scrape, we shall not, at any rate, be caught 
napping, as you express it.” 

After some more conversation with Mr. Frisbee, 
we both went on deck and enjoyed seeing the good 
bark plunge Mong with a fair wind on her Avay to 
Shanghai,, and talked over the good times we had 
had while in Anjer. Evening came upon us, and we 
were still pushing along in great shapes and the 
night passed without any incident worthy of record. 
The next day the sun rose in splendor, and the wind 
still continued fair but light, and there could not be 
a better opportunity to arrange for our organization 
into a disciplined fighting crew; so I had a talk 
about it with Mr. Cutter and Mr. Jones, and told 
the former that there would be no afternoon watch 
below, and to keep all hands on deck after the crew 
had had their dinner at noon, and we would give 
each man a station and instruct him in his duty. 
The daily work went on as usual, and at noon we 
all went to dinner. After dinner I had every man 


MUSTER THE CREW AFT 


345 


in the ship, except the man at the wheel, mustered 
on the main deck just abaft the mainmast, and from 
the break of the poop thus addressed them. 

“My men, I have no desire to frighten anybody, 
or create any false alarm. Any one who attempts 
to make a passage through these seas, without taking 
precautions against piratical crafts, is a fool. We 
shall, no doubt, go clear, as most vessels do in these 
days ; but I have no intention of not being prepared 
in case we do get into trouble. There is, of course, 
no trouble to be apprehended so long as we have 
wind and are under good headway ; but north of here 
we shall fall into the region of calms, and if in the 
neighborhood of islands, are liable to be annoyed by 
the small but strongly manned phrows that infest 
these seas, who do not hesitate to attack any vessel 
that they think is poorly armed or unable to drive 
them off. 

“ Now, I desire, if we meet any such, they should 
learn, and that speedily, that they have tackled 
the wrong chicken. Easily beaten off if met by a 
firm front and plenty of ammunition, they become 
dangerous only when they perceive hesitation and 
want of discipline ; that they shall never find in us, 
and it is for that reason I am going to take this 
afternoon in naming each to a station, so that in case 
of emergency each will know what to do, and do it 
cheerfully and willingly. Mr. Frisbee, please hand 
me the list you have in your hand.’’ 


346 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ Ay, ay, Captain ! here it is.” 

“ Mr. Frisbee, you will take charge of the forward 
starboard gun ; and I assign to you as a crew for the 
same, Hiram Strong, Antonio Sylvester, and Michael 
Flynn. You will, my men, obey any order given 
you by Mr. Frisbee the same as you would one from 
me. Mr. Frisbee, I shall give you great discretionary 
power in the management of this gun, except when 
you are acting under my own personal orders ; and if 
at any time you shall deem it wise to haul the same 
up on to the topgallant forecastle, as a place of 
greater vantage, you are at liberty to do so ; in short, 
I trust the gun and crew to you, knowing that you 
will make a good report of your charge should you 
ever be called upon to act, which God forbid. 

“Mr. Jones, you will have charge of the forward 
port gun, under the same instructions just given to 
Mr. Frisbee ; and I assign to you as a crew for the 
same, George Albion, Hans Speiler, and Carl Sygn- 
valt. Of course, being an officer of this vessel, in 
any hand-to-hand attack, repelling of boarders, or any 
other emergency, you will take charge of the forward 
part of the vessel and the two guns’ crews, whenever 
in united duty, and Mr. Frisbee will obey your com- 
mands. 

“ Mr. Cutter, you will have charge of the Dahlgren 
howitzer aft, and I have not the slightest doubt but 
what you will give a good account of yourself if you 
are called upon. I assign you, as a crew to work the 


ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEFENCE 


347 


same, Peter Ogley, Jacob Danze, and Louis Allonio,^ 
and Dee-Dong. You wilt notice that I have named 
four men, but it was for the very purpose of having 
each man know his station, and to which gun he 
belonged’; but, as there must be one man at the wheel 
all the time, one gun will always be short one man, 
and I have named Dee-Dong, if not himself at the 
wheel, to be the person to take his position with 
the crew of that gun to which the helmsman belongs. 

“ Mr. Danbury, I place you in charge of all the 
ammunition, and, with Chineyboy to act as powder- 
monkey, you will see that afl the big guns are quickly 
served, if getting short of ammunition, and that each 
is fully supplied with its outfit long before it is 
actually needed. You will also, in case of a call to 
quarters, assisted by the cook, have every boarding- 
pike and spare weapon brought out of the cabin, and 
placed round the fife-rail at the mainmast, ready to be 
used by the crew in each case of emergency. Upon a 
call to quarters, you will stand at the cabin door and 
distribute a cutlass to each person on board this ves- 
sel, and assist in strapping on the belts. Have your 
ammunition well in hand, keep the magazine under 
your own charge ; here are the keys. Your charge 
is a very responsible one, but I have all confidence in 
you. 

“ Julius, I expect you, in case of a call, to fill all 
the vessels you can crowd on to your stove, including 
the ship’s coppers, with salt water, which you will 


348 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


proceed to bring to a boiling heat just as quick as 
fuel will do it. Hot water, at times, judiciously 
sprinkled on persons attempting to board a craft, has 
a very depressing effect. In addition to this duty 
you will lend a hand in trimming sails, or assisting in 
any direction. 

“ If I give an order at any time to make a change 
in our sails, or to perform any other absolutely neces- 
sary duty, it is understood that one man only from 
each gun shall respond, and that these, re-enforced by 
the cook, carpenter, and Chineyboy, shall perform the 
duty as quickly as possible, and immediately return 
to their respective stations. 

“ And now, my men, I can only hope that we shall 
never have to make use of any of these tactics ; but, 
to perfect and protect ourselves, I am going to put 
them into immediate practice.” And turning to Mr. 
Cutter without a moment’s notice, or pause in my 
speech, I said, “ Mr. Cutter, call all hands to quarters, 
and clear for action ! ” 

But he was ready for me, as were the crew; and his 
cheerful “ Ay, ay, sir,” and “ Clear the ship for 
action,” Avas heard from one end of the ship to the 
other. 

And now commenced a seeming confusion where 
there was perfect system. J ulius darted for his gal- 
ley, in his haste knocking down Chineyboy, and 
bumping his own head against the top of his own 
door, as he plunged in and commenced heating water 


CLEAK THE SHIP FOR ACTION 


349 


to be served out to imaginary bloodthirsty boarders 
of the Malay persuasion. Carpenter rushed for his 
magazine, aild also armed the men with cutlasses as 
they came aft. The captains of the guns had their 
crews around them, and in less than five minutes the 
Maryland was in good fighting trim, and every man 
at his station. Mr. Frisbee with his gun and crew 
appeared on the topgallant forecastle with their gun 
in position, and each man armed Avith a cutlass ; Mr. 
Jones and his crew, all in gt)od order, on the port 
side ; carpenter in the waist with the boarding-pikes 
and muskets about him, still sending the hurrying 
Chineyboy to and from the magazine ; and on the 
quarter-deck, Mr. Cutter and his crew with the pet 
gun all ready for action. It was a grand sight, and 
gave us confidence in each other. Before being dis- 
missed, the men at all the big guns were instructed 
for over an hour, in pantomime, loading and firing off 
their guns. The creAvs Avere small, but, commanded 
by the intelligence of Mr. Frisbee and Mr. Cutter, I 
looked upon them with pride and a feeling that they 
could be depended upon if needed. Suffice it to say 
here, that on several occasions I had regular practice 
Avith the big guns, during the next Aveek or tAvo, and 
that we became quite expert. On this occasion, the 
men were dismissed Avith a compliment for their 
promptness and intelligence ; and thus was the Mary- 
land turned into a little man-of-Avar. 

We sailed on toAvards our destinatioiq and had no 


350 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


trouble from friend or foe; but I never regretted 
that I had taken all the precautions possible. We 
finally had run into the region of calms, of which I 
have spoken ; and one afternoon we had the following 
adventure, which served to break the monotony of 
our voyage, and is, I think, worthy of record. 

The sea was like molten lead, and, with the excep- 
tion of the long, glassy rollers, the breathing of the 
ocean, which never ceases, was in a state of absolute 
calm, upon which the sun cast down its flaming rays. 
We lay becalmed, like unto the “ancient mariner,” “a 
painted ship upon a painted ocean.” The only air 
stirring was that caused by the slight rolling of the 
bark as the unbroken glassy billows of water jjassed 
under her keel, giving her a slight cant in some direc- 
tion, which, as she again found her equilibrium, 
would cause the sleeping sails to belly out for a 
moment with the wind made by themselves, and then 
sink back again, to sleep till the next glassy roller 
struck her side. 

Hot ! why, that was no name for it. The pitched 
seams of the deck were opened with the heat, and 
little streams of exuding melted tar demonstrated the 
intensity of the sun’s rays. We had been lying in 
this state for over twenty-four hours, and were all 
heartily sick of the deadly calm, both we of the 
quarter-deck and of the forecastle also. 

After all hands had had dinner, the question was, 
what to do with the remainder of the day to pass 


SCHOOL OF BLACKFISH 


351 


away the time ; but as I came up the companion-way 
from the cabin, I heard the cry, so familiar to all 
sailors, “ There she blows 1 ” There she blows ! ” and, 
sure enough, way out towards the southern horizon 
could be discerned a multitude of black objects com- 
ing to the surface for a moment, and then disappear- 
ing, and the whole herd evidently making headway 
in the direction in which we lay. 

“ Why, what are they. Captain ? ” asked Mr. 
Frisbee. 

“ Blackfish, I think,” as I looked through my glass, 
and added, “ as large a school as I have ever seen. 
There must be thousands of them. Look at them, 
Mr. Frisbee,” said I, as I handed the glass to him. 

Now, Mr. Frisbee was always ready for any kind 
of sport or pastime that called for skill, courage, and 
pluck, as you well know. 

“I hope they’ll come this way. Isn’t there some 
way. Captain, that we might capture one ? ” asked he. 

“Possibly,” said I; “but they are ugly creatures, 
and have the name of being harder to handle than a 
right whale. They always sound when struck, and 
run out all the line attached to the harpoon. Whalers, 
as a rule, let them severely alone, as they often-times 
cost as much in loss of tackle as they are worth 
in oil. 

“ How much oil will one of them give ? ” inquired 
Mr. Frisbee. 

“Well, about two barrels, I believe. Some, how- 


352 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


ever, give more. They are queer-looking things out 
of water. Some sailors call them cow-fish. They 
are certainly of the whale family ; that is, they are 
an animal rather than a fish, and must, like the whale, 
come to the surface to blow, or breathe. They aver- 
age from ten to fifteen feet in length. You see, they 
do not spout any water to speak of, but you hear dis- 
tinctly that puffing noise that they make as they 
come up and discharge the exhausted air in their 
lungs and take in a new supply. They are coming 
this way fast.” 

“Why not lower a. boat, Captain, and have some 
fun with them?” said Mr. Frisbee. “We can cut 
adrift from them if we find that they are too strong.” 

“Well, I certainly have no objection;” for I was 
as ready as Mr. Frisbee for any fun or excitement; 
and, turning to the mate, I said, “ Get ready to lower 
the quarter-boat, Mr. Cutter, and get two of the 
hands to man her. Get three or four coils of our 
spare stun’-sail gear lines and bend them together and 
put in her, and bend the lines on to the harpoon. 
Mr. Frisbee and myself will go below and get a 
rifle or two to take with us, to give them a shot.” 

The quarter-boat was duly lowered over the side, 
and the crew jumped down and took their seats at 
the two oars. A boat less qualified for whale-hunt- 
ing could not be conceived. 

We shortly afterward appeared on deck with two 
rifles, and after we had descended to the boat a second 


AFTER BLACKFISH 


853 


harpoon was handed to Mr. Frisbee ; and I took the 
precaution to furnish myself with a hatchet, that I 
placed in the bow of the boat, to cut the line if our 
prey that we expected to hook on to, should sound too 
deeply and take out all the stun’sail lines, and then 
try to drag the boat under after it. 

By this time, the fish were all about us, passing the 
vessel on both sides. In fact, the last of the school 
seemed to have passed by as we pushed off. 

I placed myself in the bow of the boat, and Mr. 
Frisbee took the steering-oar at the stern, and the 
men gave way. Presently the animals began to come 
to the surface in a lazy manner quite near to us, and 
we paused to get a shot with the rifle ; and Mr. Fris- 
bee “ punked ” two of them, but it seemed to have 
little effect ; they only threw up their flukes and dis- 
appeared, and evidently were not stricken in any 
vital part, or if so, they did not come to the surface 
after having died. Finding that nothing could be 
done by shooting at them, the rifles were put aside, 
and the boat started in pursuit to permit me to put 
an iron into one if possible. 

The pure ocean water was as clear as crystal, and 
the blackfish could be seen coming to the surface 
long before they reached it. 

For some time none presented themselves in quite 
the right position, although they broke water along- 
side and to the right and left of the boat. I wanted 
one to come up right in advance of the boat, so that 


354 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


I could heave the iron right into his back and have 
the boat start fair. 

Finally, I saw one coming to the surface, who 
would arrive in just the very spot that I wanted him ; 
so I braced myself as well as possible, with one knee 
against the rail of the boat, cast an eye upon the 
hatchet lying at my feet, with a sheath-knife beside 
it, and called out to the crew to see that the line aft 
was all clear for running, and to look out and not 
get their arms and legs caught in the coils as the 
rope was running out, and made ready with the har- 
poon pointed, to make the fatal dart, when, all in a 
moment, I lost my balance and fell over almost back- 
wards into the boat, the harpoon flying out of my 
hand as if it had been struck by lightning. 

I quickly got on my feet, and turning with surprise 
and anger to see what had happened in the boat to 
give it such a lurch and shock as to upset me, in the 
dead calm and smooth water we were floating on, my 
eyes fell upon Mr. Frisbee in the stern-sheets, with 
his heels in the air, trying to get up from out of the 
bottom of the boat, where he had evidently been 
thrown by some shock, and clinging on with despera- 
tion to the handle of the steering-oar, the other end 
of which, to my amazement, appeared out of the 
water minus any blade, and the end chopped and 
broken off in some unaccountable manner. As soon 
as Mr. Frisbee could regain his seat and breath, for 
the handle of the oar had knocked the breath out of 


SURROUNDED BY SHARKS. 


355 


him, he stated to me, that, just as I was about to 
strike, something had driven itself with violence 
against the end of his oar, bitten it half off, and 
pushed the handle so hard against his breast, that he 
had been capsized into the bottom of the boat, and, 
in his fall, had disturbed the equilibrium of the 
boat enough to upset me also. “ Now, what was it, 
Captain? It could not be a blackfish, could it?” 
questioned Mr. Frisbee. 

“ Blackfish ! Frisbee,” said I, “ blackfish ! why, 
look there ! look there ! If ever I saw a regular old 
man-eater, why, there’s one at least ten feet long.” 

And as I spoke, a shark quickly showed himself 
alongside the boat, with his dorsal fin at least a foot 
out of the water, and proceeded to champ his jaws 
together under water, from which escaped splinters 
of the broken oar at each movement of his jaw, 
which, being released, floated to the surface. Mr. 
Shark evidently found that old, seasoned, hard ash 
was not very good eating, and was spitting his huge 
mouthful out in detail after chewing it over. He 
came quite near to the boat, and then sheered off for 
a short distance, and looking about, Mr. .Frisbee ex- 
claimed : “ Why, Captain, we are in a perfect school 
of sharks.” And so we were. Their fins could be 
seen in every direction astern of us, cutting the 
smooth, calm water. 

“Well,” said I, “I have heard of this thing before 
from whalers, but never beheld it. It is .said that 


356 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


wolves hang on the flanks of the herds of buffalo in 
the great West, and follow them at a respectful dis- 
tance in all their wanderings, and when one of them 
is taken ill or is wounded by its companions, they 
rush in and devour it. A whaler says that sharks 
act just the same with schools of blackfish and 
whales. 

“ Why, there must be at least twenty-five in sight 
now,” said I ; “ and what in the world is Cutter trying 
to do on board of the ship, up top there on the wheel- 
house throwing a harpoon?” And we all turned to 
look; and sure enough, there was the mate, Mr. Cut- 
ter, and all hands hold of a harpoon line and fast to 
something. 

“If one of those fellows comes alongside again,” 
said Mr. Frisbee, who was not a bit scared, but only 
excited, “I’m going to give him this iron, man-eater 
or no man-eater.” 

“Well, you may as well,” said I; “for you don’t 
catch me striking any blackfish and having the boat 
capsized with those fellows tangled in among our 
legs. They may bite in spite of my theory.” 

Soon afterwards the old fellow who had tried to 
digest the oar-blade came again alongside, and so near 
that you could put your hand down and touch him ; 
and here comes the strangest part of my yarn, and 
proves how tough his hide was and how tough my 
yarn is, but it is true. Mr. Frisbee stood up over 
that shark with a good harpoon, fitted with a heavy 


NO OLD BOOTS IN THE SHARK 857 

oaken staff, and let drive full at his back, not one 
foot under water, and drew, the weapon back into the 
boat with the iron bent in the shape of the letter U. 
The force of the blow had been great enough to double 
up the iron, and yet the shark’s hide was so thick 
that it had failed to penetrate. 

To our amazement he only sheered off a short dis- 
tance, and forged ahead towards the bow of the boat 
where I was stationed; and warned by the effect of 
the blow that Mr. Frisbee had given, I stooped down 
and aimed my harpoon under water at the white 
side of the old man-eater, and thrust with all my 
might. 

The strike was successful, and such a splashing 
and thrashing you never saw. The men gave way, 
and we pulled for the ship; and when we arrived we 
passed a bowline round the tail of our enemy and 
hoisted him on deck, when he turned out not to be a 
him^ but a her ; for in dissecting her we found eight 
young sharks, each alive and well-formed, of about 
one foot in length, the handsomest creatures you ever 
saw. The parent in dying made the whole ship 
quiver in her lashings, which were as nimble as 
would be made by a trout ten inches long ; but when 
her ton of flesh leape'd up and came down again upon 
the deck, things jarred, and it was with considerable 
danger to legs and limbs that she was finally de- 
spatched with handspikes. We did not find any 
sailor’s old boots, or tarpaulin hats, or false teeth, or 


358 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


gold watches, but we did go through with this ad- 
venture just as I have related it. 

Mr. Cutter, the mate, had a smaller one on deck 
also ; and around about the stern were several playing 
about a shark-hook, baited with pork, with which 
they were too wise to meddle, however; and at least 
three bore white marks upon their backs where Mr. 
Cutter had spotted them with the iron. We dropped 
the boat astern; and Mr. Frisbee, adopting the new 
tactics, leaned over and put the iron through the side 
of one of them in the same manner as I had captured 
the first, and we soon had it hoisted on deck ; but this 
ended our fun, for all pastimes at sea end when the 
wind comes after a calm ; and as a slight breeze began 
to ripple the waters, the boat was hoisted in, and I 
caused the sails to be trimmed to catch the favoring 
breeze, and in half an hour the Maryland was boom- 
ing along under starboard stun’-sails set alow and 
aloft. 


MALAY PHROWS 


359 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

ATTACKED BY CHINESE PIRATES OFF GUTZLAFF. ARRIVE 

SAFELY AT WOOSUNG. END OF THE VOYAGE. 

After* our famous fight with the blackfish and 
sharks, we sailed on for several days with nothing 
occurring of enough interest to put before my readers. 
The daily routine of the vessel went on quietly, and 
we were rapidly nearing our destination. In a week’s 
more time, with the usual changes that one expects 
at sea, good weather and bad, we had left the much- 
dreaded Sea of Java far astern of us, and, in a week 
more, were creeping up along the coast of China by 
Hong Kong, Chefoo, Swatow, and leaving the Pes- 
cadore Islands and beautiful Formosa on our star- 
board hand, were heading up for Woosung at the 
mouth of the river of that name, up which, distant 
only nine miles, lay the flourishing city of Shanghai, 
for which we were bound. We were, in fact, only a 
day’s sail from our port, with Video Island and the 
peak of Gutzlaff in plain sight just as the sun went 
down. Yes, we had passed through the Java Sea 
without any mishap or being molested in any way. 
To be sure, we had seen at times many Malay phrows, 
and some that looked extremely suspicious ; and 


360 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


upon one occasion, when two or three were in sight 
during a short calm, I had even thought it expedient 
to have a little big-gun practice on that occasion, as 
a notice to them of what they might expect, should 
they perchance dream of attacking us. A few practice- 
shots from our big guns not only prevented them from 
the attempt, if they had thought of it, but after the 
very first shot they all got out their oars and sweeps, 
and pulled rapidly away over the smooth bosom of 
the ocean, in a westerly direction, and were soon lost 
to view ; and we were not sorry to see them dis- 
appear. 

Although we had not been attacked, I had not for 
a moment regretted our practice with the guns, or 
regretted a pound of the powder that we had burned; 
and we had had some splendid practice during the 
last three weeks. We, of course, had been seeing 
Chinese junks for the last ten days, and were becom- 
ing perfectly familiar with the clumsy tubs that 
passed us on their way up and down the coast on 
their voyages from port to port. As the sun went 
down on this particular night, there were several in 
sight, but none very near, and the little wind we had 
was fast dying away in fainter and fainter puffs. 
Mr. Cutter had been the oracle on board the Mary- 
land for the last week or two, for it must be remem- 
bered by the reader, that he once commanded the 
famous opium schooner Nankin in these very seas ; 
and his opinion upon the Junks, or any other strange 
thing we saw, was accepted as Gospel. 


SUSPICIOUS LOOKING JUNKS 


361 


Before the sun set I noticed, as did Mr. Frisbee, 
that the mate looked long and several times with his 
marine glasses at a group of three small junks that 
lay in under Gutzlaff, and at least five miles distant. 
I remembered afterwards that Mr. Frisbee asked him 
what he was looking at so hard, and what there was 
about them that attracted him so much. 

“ They are not pirates, Mr. Cutter, are they,” 
asked Mr. Frisbee derisively, “ within one day’s sail 
of Shanghai ? ” 

“Well, I don’t know,” said Mr. Cutter. “I can’t 
tell at this distance, but you may rest assured that 
the vicinity of Shanghai has nothing to do with keep- 
ing away pirates ; and the simple truth is, that there 
is no more dangerous spot, or a more likely place to 
meet the devils, than under the shadow of yonder 
volcano, where they often rendezvous. I did hope. 
Captain Frisbee,” said he, turning to me, “that this 
breeze would have held, and put us into the Woosung 
by to-morrow evening, but it has died completely out. 
Now, I don’t like the ‘cut of the jib’ of those fellows, 
and I hope they won’t be there in the morning. 
They certainly are not merchantmen junks, and they 
have a rakish look that I don’t like. It may be, 
however,” added Mr. Cutter, “that they are only 
fast despatch boats on their way down the coast; and 
as they always go armed, and are of the same size as 
the piratical craft of these latitudes, it is very diffi- 
cult to tell one from the other.” 


362 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


All this was distinctly remembered, as I walked 
the quarter-deck, in the early evening, after supper, 
with the Maryland swaying to starboard and port in 
a dead calm. It was dreadfully annoying. Here we 
were within one day’s short sail of our port, lying 
“ like a painted ship upon a painted ocean,” with not 
a breath of wind to fill our sails. And then, to be 
“so near and yet so far;” to have almost com- 
pleted my labor successfully, and to find myself 
stopped at the very threshold of the “ Haven of Rest,” 
and not know what a day might bring forth on the 
treacherous and unstable ocean. I was moody and 
distrait, and brooded. Not so my companions, the 
mates, and Mr. Frisbee: they joked and laughed in a 
manner to jar upon my nerves. They were all anx- 
ious to arrive, as anxious as I possibly ; but the}' 
accepted the inevitable with much more philosophy. 
And if Mr. Cutter had ever had any suspicions about 
the small junks in the offing, he had, with a sailor’s 
carelessness, evidently thrown them off his mind. 
However, nothing occurred to arouse my suspicions 
in any way ; and at about ten o’clock I went below, 
leaving the deck in charge of Mr. Jones, the second 
officer, it being still a dead calm. 

I could not rest well, and came on deck several 
times during the night to see if there was any change 
in the weather, or if it looked like a breeze springing 
up from any quarter. I had a foreboding that we 
were about to meet with some disaster, or get into 


CALL ALL HANDS ! PIRATES ! 


363 


some trouble before long. I suppose the nearness of 
my port and the termination of my voyage had a 
depressing effect upon me, as we lay thrashing about 
in a dead calm, instead of advancing. 

I got some sleep during the night, but was on deck 
in the morning just as the daylight was commencing 
to appear, and found Mr. Cutter in charge, and just 
a faint air filling the sails of the Maryland. 

Mr. Cutter was, in spite of the duskiness that still 
surrounded us, occupied in trying with his marine 
glasses to find the suspicious junks of last night. 
After peering about for quite a while, he turned to 
me, and said, “Call all hands. Captain Frisbee: we 
are in for a very bad scrape, I am afraid. Those 
three devils we saw last night are not taking advan- 
tage of the light air, that is barely filling our sails, to 
go about their business, but have used it only to place 
themselves, one, dead ahead there not a mile distant; 
and there are the other two, — one on our starboard 
hand, and the other on our port, at about the same 
distance ; and they would be nearer,” added he, “ were 
it not that the calm has prevented them from advan- 
cing. For once. Captain, you may be glad of a calm, 
for I pronounce them pirates ; and were it not for 
this calm, and for the fact that they never carry boats 
to board with, but always lay you alongside, we should 
have had our throats cut this very night that has just 
passed. Yes, call all hands. Captain, and at once, 
for we are in dire extremity.” 


364 


LOG OF THE MARYLAISD 


Mr. Cutter had hardly ceased speaking before my 
voice and his rang out together, “ All hands ahoy ! 
All hands ahoy ! Pirates ! Pirates ! Tumble up 
here, men ! All hands on deck ! Every man to his 
station ! Clear away the guns ! Prepare for action ! ” 
were the orders that fell fast and furious from my 
lips, as the crew came tumbling onto the deck, 
wondering what on earth had happened ; but sailor- 
like, quick to understand in any emergency, took in 
the situation in a moment, and with a gallant cheer 
rushed each man to the station and gun to which he 
had been assigned. Finding themselves unmasked, 
our cheer was answered by the most unearthly 
heathen screeches and shrieks from the three differ- 
ent junks. 

“ Open your magazine, carpenter ! ” sang out I. 
“ Hurry up ! hurry up ! there’s no time to lose. 
Where’s that powder-monkey of a Chineyboy ? ” 

“ Alle light, Claptain,” answered the young Satan, 
as he dashed out of the cabin-door with his arms full 
of cartridges for the forward guns, as ready to fight 
his own countrymen as any Jack Tar of us all. 

Dee-Dong happened to be at the wheel ; and, turn- 
ing to him, I said, “ Keep her off a little, Dee-Dong.” 
To which he replied with his French accent, “No 
posseeble, Capitaine , wind too leetle, not one leetle 
bit.” 

And casting my eyes aloft, I saw that the faint air, 
which caressed our sails a few moments before, had 


CHINESE STINK-POTS 


365 


entirely died out, and the Maryland lay without 
steerage way on the bosom of the ocean. 

In the mean while, the mates and crew and Mr. 
Frisbee had not been idle. Mr. Frisbee already had 
his gun on the to ’gallant forecastle ; the smoke was 
pouring out of the cook’s funnel, showing that he had 
not forgotten about the hot water; the first and 
second mates stood surrounded by their crews at 
their guns, already charged, and were fast belting on 
the cutlasses handed them by the carpenter. We at 
least had not been surprised by the heathens. 

Mr. Cutter had, during the voyage, often told us 
about the stink-pots made of sulphur and other suf- 
focating materials that the Chinese always attempt to 
throw upon the deck of their enemy to drive the crew 
below before boarding, and that the stench of these 
pots was such as no man could endure. He had also 
told us that the tactics of these pirates was always to 
board if possible, trusting in their superior numbers 
to overwhelm the crew. We also knew that these 
stink-pot throwers were stationed in the rigging, 
ready to light their infernal missiles, and to throw 
them upon the deck of their enemy if they could 
sheer near enough to him to have them reach, and then 
to tack, and stand back again to board a few moments 
after they had done their work. We also knew that 
these craft were very swift in smooth water, and that 
they would have no difficulty in outsailing the Mary- 
land in a light air; but, thank God, we knew also 


366 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


that they did not carry sweeps like the Malay phrows, 
and could not advance without wind any more than 
the Maryland could. 

Knowing all tliis, the mate had long ago prepared 
for the only resistance that can be made to prevent 
the stink-pots from being effective ; and that was to 
plug up the hawse-holes and scuppers on the main 
deck with wooden plugs made for this very purpose, 
and which were now being put in place by the car- 
penter ; and Mr. Frisbee’s crew on the topgallant 
forecastle had already started the head pump, and 
were commencing to flood the main deck an inch or 
two deep with water, into which, if the stink-pots 
reached us, they would fall, and be extinguished 
before they could do any harm. This was the best 
defence that had yet been found against these 
devilish weapons of offence of this cruel nation. 
There was one more method also that Mr. Frisbee 
and I had often discussed to defend ourselves 
against stink-pots ; and that was to fire with rifles 
at every man that appeared in the enemy’s rig- 
ging, the moment they came into range, and make 
it extremely sultry for any one to even prepare 
to cast these deadly and effective missiles. We 
were now, apparently, to have a chance, without 
desiring it, of testing this method. And the reality 
seemed much more serious than the imaginative 
fights that we so often had had in the cabin of the 
old Maryland. However, there was not the slightest 


A SHOT FIIOM THE PIRATE JUNK 367 

doubt but what this very talking the matter over had 
prepared us for the reality. 

During the time that we were beating to quarters, 
and getting into shape, the daylight had been coming 
fast, and each moment proved that we had not mis- 
judged our opponents, although their fiendish yells 
had already exposed them. And now was borne 
across the waters a din of beaten gongs, terrible 
enough to waken the dead, and which would have 
been almost unbearable had it not been softened by 
distance ; and amidst all this uproar and riot sounded 
the first gun of offence, fired by the junk on our 
starboard beam, which lay nearer to us than her con- 
sorts ; and we were very glad to hear it and watch 
it ; at least, Mr. Cutter and myself were, for we were 
anxious to know the size of her cannon and their range. 

“ Just as I thought,” said Mr. Cutter ; “ nothing 
but little nasty four-pounders. Those craft can’t 
carry any bigger guns, or they would be shook into 
splinters.” And the mate br.oke into a hearty laugh, 
as the shot splashed harmlessly into the ocean five 
hundred yards away. 

“ Captain Frisbee, those devils have been led into 
attacking us on account of our small size, thinking 
we will be an easy prize,” continued the mate ; “ but 
they never made a bigger mistake in their lives. 
The greatest danger lies in their attempting to board ; 
and you can thank God for this calm. Captain Fris- 
bee, or I fear it would be all up with us.” 


368 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


“ How many guns do they carry, Mr. Cutter ? Can 
you make out with your glass ? ” 

“Easily, Captain Frisbee,. the usual number, 
three on each side. They are in the same old trim 
they used to be when I used to fight them. They 
don’t change much, sir ; hut I don’t know as I was 
ever in so bad a scrape as this,” added the mate 
ruefully. 

“ Mr. Cutter, have the American ensign hoisted at 
the mizzen-peak. They shall at least see the colors 
of the nation they are attacking ; and this vessel is 
going to sink or swim with those colors floating at 
the peak.” 

“ Ay, ay, sir,” answered Mr. Cutter ; and the flag 
of our beloved country was soon run up to the gaff- 
end, and was saluted with a gallant cheer by the crew, 
and by a derisive yell from the enemy, and a renewal 
of gong-hanging. 

“ How many men do those craft usually carry, Mr. 
Cutter?” 

“ About sixty to eighty men, Captain.” 

“ So many as that? ” 

“ Yes, sir. They are small craft, but they crowd 
them with men for the purpose of being strong to 
board, in which lies their greatest strength.” 

“ Take all hands, Mr. Cutter, and get the long-boat 
out of her chocks and off the forward house, and 
launch her. I am going to give these devils a lesson 
they will not soon forget. Thank God, there is no 


THE HOWITZER AND LONG-BOAT 


369 


wind, and they cannot board us ; and I am going to 
take advantage of it, and sink them one by one where 
they lie. Get the boat overboard at once, sir, and 
then we will lower the Dahlgren howitzer into her, 
which was intended when cast, for this very kind of 
boat service ; and I want you to lay just outside of 
the range of that villain on our starboard beam, and 
pummel him with shot and shell till he sinks ^vhere 
he lies. The force of numbers is too overwhelming 
if they should be able to board, so we must teach 
them this Yankee trick.” 

My orders and speech were received with a rousing 
cheer ; and in half an hour the long-boat with its gun 
and crew, including Dee-Dong, who was no longer 
needed at the wheel, there not being a breath of air, 
was floating peacefully alongside, awaiting my final 
orders. 

“Mr. Cutter,” said I, “you will carry out the 
orders I have just given you, but must not hesitate 
one moment in returning to the bark if I cause three 
muskets to be fired in rapid succession. If the 
slightest breeze springs up, these devils will of course 
stand down upon us, and attempt to board ; and in 
that case we must have every man on board. Do not 
stop to fire one single shot after you hear the recall ; 
and now give way, and may God be with you! I 
give you just one half-hour to sink that pirate ” (point- 
ing to the one on the starboard hand), “ and then we 
will attend to the others.” 


370 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


And amidst the cheers of the remaining crew they 
pushed off. 

There was no great danger in the expedition or to 
us, up to this time ; but if there should come up the 
slightest breeze of wind, I did not see how we could 
escape being all slaughtered. 

The boat pulled out gallantly by the bows of the 
Maryland, having been launched on the port side, 
manned with the following crew: Mr. Cutter, the 
chief mate, in full command, Peter Ogley, Jacob 
Danze, Louis Allonio, Dee-Dong, and the Chineyboy 
to help pass cartridges. 

When the enemy saw the boat, which headed 
directly for them, they at first mistook her purpose, 
and supposed that we were foolish enough to attempt 
to board them with a handful of men ; but they were 
soon undeceived, and evidently made out the big gun 
in the bows and surmised what we were at. They 
at once attempted to get the junk end on to the 
advancing boat, by the use of all sorts of light bam- 
boos and pieces of wood, by paddling alongside ; and 
their craft was so small, not over fifty feet in length, 
that she gradually turned her stern towards the long- 
boat. Before doing this, however, they let rip their 
three port guns ; and that was exactly what Mr. Cut- 
ter desired, for it showed him how near he could 
advance and still be out of range, and I told him 
before he started to be very careful on this score, and 
not to take any chances, as the superiority of the 


SHELLING THE PIRATE JUNK 


371 


howitzer would permit him to lie off in perfect 
security and pound her. By placing his stern to the 
boat the pirate had done the best thing that he could 
do under the circumstances, and had materially les- 
sened his chances of being hit ; on the other hand, 
he had increased his chances of being terribly raked 
should a shot or shell strike him. 

Mr. Cutter kept calmly on till he considered him- 
self within the right distance, and we watched every 
motion from the deck of the Maryland. Taking in 
the oars, and putting Louis Allonio at an oar at the 
stern to keep the boat’s head pointed steadily, we 
saw him stoop down and sight the gun, and a moment 
later pull the lanyard. The first shot, a time-fuse 
shell, was elevated too high, went quite wide of its 
mark, and exploded six hundred yards beyond the 
junk. Nothing discouraged, we saw the gun rapidly 
loaded and again discharged, and with much better 
aim and less time-fuse. I knew that none better 
than Mr. Cutter appreciated the desperation of our 
situation, and that he would lose no time. I also 
knew that he was perfectly familiar with big guns, 
was the crack shot of the ship in that direction, and 
could teach us all our ABC’s in gunnery, and I had 
faith in God and in him. 

Tlie third shell was better yet, although the junk 
was not hit ; but the time-fuse was perfect, and the 
shell burst not twenty feet away from the starboard 
side of the junk, and the flying pieces did some little 


372 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


execution amongst the crew, as was shown oy the 
confusion amongst them. 

I wondered why Mr. Cutter did not use solid shot 
instead of shell, till it flashed over me what his 
motive was. It is never so calm at sea but what a 
vessel, from some unknown cause, if left to herself, 
will turn round and round, and point to every degree 
of the horizon, slowly, but certainly; and it was 
proved in this very instance, for the Maryland, that 
lay nearly broadside on to the long-boat when she 
started, was now with her stern pointed in the same 
direction, and we were all looking over the stern to 
see the fight. Yes, it was all as plain as day. Mr. 
Cutter was, by means of his shells, preventing the 
pirate from paddling his craft’s head in a given 
direction, and waiting for the inevitable moment 
when she should swing side on, to put in his solid 
shot and sink her. All he could do now was to 
make good enough practice with his shell to frighten 
the pirates down under the small bulwarks they had, 
and to desist from attempting to keep their craft end 
on. The boat could easily be kept in position by a 
sweep of the steering-oar held by Allonio. Mr. Cut- 
ter must have fired at least ten shells before he hit 
the junk ; but finally a lucky one hit her plum in 
the stern, carrying away her mizzenmast, if one can 
give any name to the smaller and sternmost of her 
three masts, exploded in' the midst of the pirate crew, 
and evidently did enormous damage to the craft, and 


THE MATES MASTER-SHOT. 


373 


we involuntarily burst into a hearty cheer as we saw 
the result. A better shot was never tired, and Mr. 
Cutter turned towards the bark and waved his hat, 
as if to say, “ What do you think of that. Captain ? ” 
which brought forth another cheer from us. Did I 
have any pity for these pirates whom we were destroy- 
ing? Not any. I cannot pollute these pages with a 
recital of the awful deeds that have been committed 
upon peaceful merchantmen in the Chinese seas, by 
these demons in human form, cruelties and tortures 
beyond the conception of civilized minds, and always 
ending in death. No! I had not the slightest pity 
for them ; and, as the sequel will show, they had none 
for us, and would have butchered every one of us 
had the opportunity been afforded them. After the 
master-shot of the mate, whether from the loss of her 
aftermast or from some other cause, the junk began to 
drift slightly so as to bring her side on, slowly to be 
sure, but by degrees, and Mr. Cutter at once, as I 
supposed he would, began to pound her with round 
shot. 

This kind of shooting was more simple than the 
shell practice, and after a few shots the mate got 
the range perfectly, and hulled her at nearly every 
shot; putting in a shell once in a while, which he 
was enabled to use with great success, for she had 
finally drifted broadside to, and presented a fair 
mark. The guns had long since been dismounted by 
the several shells that had burst on board, or else 


374 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


were deserted by the cowardly crew, and, taking up 
the oars, Mr. Cutter pulled nearer to her to get a bet- 
ter mark and finish his work sooner. I was sorry to 
see him do this, as I feared he might meet with some 
accident. Still he was fairly prudent and stopped at 
a reasonable distance, and fired three admirable shots 
that made the enemy reel and evidently nearly fin- 
ished her. We were so intent on watching her de- 
struction that no one had noticed the state of the 
weather till good, honest Mr. Jones spoke up and 
said, “ Captain, do you see that cat’s-paw astern ? ” 
I turned instantly. Good God ! there was the wind 
springing up, and dotting the face of the molten 
waters with wrinkles of indigo blue. 

“Fire the signal of recall, Mr. Jones,” and the 
words were hardly out of my mouth than the mus- 
kets exploded. “ Take the wheel, Albion. Lay aft 
here, everybody, brace up the main-yard ! Keep her 
dead for the long-boat, Albion. Well of all! Lay 
forward and brace in the head yards. Steady as you 
go, Albion I ” and the Maryland paid off slowly before 
the faint air, and pointed for the long-boat, but at a 
snail’s pace. 

Mr. Cutter had been obedient, and was pulling 
towards us with all his crew’s strength, understand- 
ing the emergency and danger perfectly. Not so 
with our enemies. As they noted the light air advan- 
cing, and ruffling the bosom of old ocean, the most 
unearthly yells filled the air, and the racket of the 
gongs again saluted our ears. 


THINGS LOOK DESPERATE 


375 


Now for their revenge. Now was their time to 
avenge the attack on their consort. God help us ! 
what were we to do against these fiends incarnate? 
Both of the junks headed towards their sinking com- 
rade the moment a breath of air filled their bamboo-mat 
sails. But the breeze was so light that they made 
little or no headway. Not so with Mr. Cutter; strain- 
ing every nerve, the gallant crew soon met the slowly 
advancing Maryland, and the gun and boat were 
quickly hoisted on board, and we made all sail to try 
to escape, while the enemy headed to the rescue of 
their consort, as I have said ; but Mr. Cutter’s prac_ 
tice had been too perfect. Five minutes after the 
long-boat was on deck, and before it was stowed, we 
were called to the side to see our late enemy sink 
into a watery grave, and none of her consorts within 
a mile of her to aid her. 

The moment the pirate went down the two remain- 
ing junks turned their attention to us, for it is 
against the tenets of their religion to assist any one 
who is drowning. It is a meddling with the designs 
of Joss. “ Joss put him in, let Joss get him out.” 
So they were coolly left to their fate. 

And now it seemed as if our hour had come. Here 
were two crafts left, manned with at least one hundred 
and forty fiends, who knew not what the word mercy 
meant, who had not the slightest conception of that 
attribute ; to fall into the hands of whom was not 
only death, but torture. If there was ever an incen- 


376 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


tive given to men to fight to the death, we had it. 
We could not escape, and every man was put upon 
his mettle to fight till the last drop of his blood was 
spilled, rather than to surrender. And to encourage 
the men to fight to the last, I told them what they 
might expect : no mercy, and horrible torture ; and 
that the knowledge of this ought to make the veriest 
coward that ever lived a brave man, in spite of him- 
self, at least for once. 

In the mean while the wind had freshened and 
blew from the north, giving both our opponents the 
weather gage. When I say freshened, I mean that 
the bark was moving with possibly a three-knot 
breeze to the eastward, which brought the enemy 
who was ahead of us on our port beam, and the one 
that was on our port beam dead astern. I did not 
try to escape, that was of no use. The breeze was 
perfect for the pirate junks : and they were evidently 
burning to avenge the destruction of their consort, and 
were making all speed possible to board us, feeling, 
as Avell they might, that, once on our decks, one hun- 
dred and thirty or one hundred and forty men would 
make quick work with seventeen men all told, even 
if they were Fan-qui-loos (white devils). If we were 
to escape, it could only be by God’s aid and by skilful 
seamanship, and I bent all my energies to the task. 
The pirate astern of us was gaining rapidly, and was 
within a half a mile of us, while the one on our port 
beam, running down before the wind, was fully as 


COOK IS THAT WATER HOT? 


377 


near ; but I had by my manoeuvre of standing to the 
eastward, placed them both bows on to us, so that 
they could not use their guns, all their armament 
being broadside four-pounders; this in itself was a 
great advantage, and I used it for all it was worth. 

“Mr. Frisbee, get your gun over to the port side 
as quick as possible, and throw solid shot at that ras- 
cal on our beam: he must be within range. Elevate 
your gun, shoot high and at his rigging only. He lies 
too low for you to hull him, and is too far distant for 
your shot to penetrate much ; but if you can bring 
down any of his sails or masts it will prevent him 
from boarding us. Fire away, sir ; let him have it.” 
And boom went the gun, but the shot fell short. 

“ Follow him up, Mr. Jones, with your gun, and 
load and fire as fast as you can. Don’t waste a 
moment; everything depends upon your disabling him. 

“ Mr. Cutter, if the Dahlgren is in position, give 
that fellow astern a taste of its quality in the shape 
of a shell with a five-second fuse, and see how he 
likes it. 

“ Cook, is that water hot ? ” 

“ Awful hot. Captain.” 

“ Well, see you keep it so. You may have to issue 
it out in small rations to these heathen Chinee before 
long.” 

For the next thirty minutes we banged at the two 
rapidly advancing junks with our big guns, but with- 
out doing them any seeming damage. 


378 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


At last, when I was almost in despair, and would 
have sold my life for a song, the mate with his usual 
luck, or, to use a better term, splendid skill, fired a 
shell that seemed to break right over the bows of the 
junk astern of us, and we waited in agony to see if 
some important injury had not been done her ; but 
no, still she came sailing on with her great mat sails 
full of the light breeze, seemingly unhurt. My heart 
came into my mouth, and the tears into my eyes, in 
despair; and I could not see well enough to under- 
stand Mr. Cutter, who cried out, — 

“ I knew I hit him ! There it goes, there it goes ! 
Over she goes ! You can’t stop it, you heathen 
devils ! Let her rip ! ” said he, with a whoop and three 
cheers, in which all the crew joined, as the great 
mainsail of the junk fell over the side, mast and all, 
drawing the hull into the trough of the sea, where 
it lay a dismasted wreck, unable to do us the slight- 
est injury. 

“ Hard up with the wheel, and keep her dead 
before it ! This brought our only remaining enemy 
right astern. 

“ My men, we have with God’s help, so far, been 
able to keep these hounds from boarding us, but we 
can prevent it no longer ; that junk astern will, in 
fifteen minutes more, be on our quarter, and will 
board us in spite of all we can do to prevent it, 
unless we can stop her by some lucky shot. I want 
jou, Mr. Jones, and you, Mr. Frisbee, to load your 


THE PIRATE JUNK STILL ADVANCES 379 

guns with shrapnel, and stand ready to fire when I 
give the word ; for in a moment or two more, when 
she gets a little nearer, I will give the Maryland a 
sheer, so that your guns can be brought to bear. Peg 
away at her, Mr. Cutter; don’t waste a minute, in 
loading. Mr. Frisbee, the moment you have fired 
your gun, grab a rifle, and help me pick off the stink- 
pot throwers if they have any. Ay, there they go, 
three of them, up the bamboo brails of the foremast. 
I will take care of them, Mr. Frisbee, and you look 
out for others at the mainmast head. Ay, there they 
go aloft. And now, my men, repel these devils if 
they attempt to board, if you expect to escape the 
torments of hell. Chuck in some canister, Mr. 
Cutter, and give her your last shot. Quick, sir, 
quick ; for I am going to lay the Maryland across his 
bows, and rake him once at least, after you have 
given him your dose. Are you ready ? then, in God’s 
name, let him have it.” And the canister of the 
Dahlgren threw the water into foam round and about 
the advancing junk, now not two hundred yards 
distant, raking her fearfully ; but still she kept des- 
perately on with all her spars intact. 

“ Down with the wheel ! hard down ! Don’t get 
her aback ! ” 

“ Hard down it is, sir.” 

“ Steady.” 

“ Steady it is, sir.” 

And the Maryland was laid across the bows of the 


380 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


oncoming junk, not one hundred yards distant with 
not a gun that they could bring to bear on us ; 
while Mr. Frisbee and Mr. Jones stood like veterans 
waiting for the word to fire. 

“ Aim low, depress your guns. Are you ready ? 
then fire! ” With a crash the well-aimed shrapnel 
swept the decks of the pirate craft. 

“ Keep her off ! Keep her off ! cried I, as the 
foremast of the junk went by the board. And in a 
moment more we should have slipped away un- 
harmed, but the Maryland was too slow in minding 
her helm in the light air, and the impetus of the junk 
was such, and her huge mainsail still drawing, that 
with a crash she hit us just abaft the fore-chains on 
the port side ; and as she did so, over went her main- 
mast across our deck, luckily injuring no one. 

“ All hands to repel boarders ! Keep her dead 
before it, Albion, and mind your wheel solely. Don’t 
let her get aback for God’s sake.” 

When the guns fired by Mr. Frisbee and Mr. Jones 
exploded, from the shrieks of anguish and despair, 
one would have thought tl t there was not a living 
soul left on board to fight us. But when their main- 
sail fell across our deck, they knew, as well as we, 
that it was war to the death, and that we could not 
be parted till one or the other was exterminated. 
And out of the hull of that miserable craft poured, 
or attempted to pour, a stream of half-naked sav- 
ages ; armed with ugly-looking knives, at least a foot' 


HAND TO HAND 


381 


long, and pikes and spears ; to the number of at least 
forty. 

And now commenced a most desperate hand to 
hand fight. The pirates had no place to retreat to, 
and we had to overpower them or die. Luckily no 
stink-pots were used ; the fall of the foremast and 
mainmast had stopped all that business, and Mr. Fris- 
bee and myself had no opportunity to try our skill 
with the rifle on men perched in the rigging, and we 
had no fear of their being used now, for they would 
suffocate the pirates just as much as we. No! we 
had deadlier work on hand, as we rushed to the fore- 
rigging armed with all our weapons of offence. We 
fought the best we knew how ; and in the rnelSe^ hard 
blows were given and taken and blood began to flow 
freely. But the number of the pirates was so great, 
that they finally obtained a footing, and step by step 
we were forced back to the quarter-deck by these 
fiends, leaving the carpenter and cook unfortunately 
behind us, barred in, however, safely for the present 
in the galley, from which the pirates were unable to 
dislodge them. Chineyboy lay dead on the deck with 
a knife through his heart, and Peter Ogley, whom 
we had dragged aft with us, lay dying on the after- 
house. Mr. Cutter had a slash down the side of his 
face, and Mr. Frisbee a flesh wound in his thigh, not, 
however, deep or dangerous ; nearly all of us bore 
some slight wound, and yet there stood still some 
twenty-five devils on the main-deck, scowling defiance 


382 


LOG OF THE MARYLAIST) 


at US, in this lull in the conflict. They looked, as a 
whole, as if they had had enough of it; but there was 
no retreat, and they with celerity prepared to charge 
the quarter-deck. If they once gained possession of 
this, farewell to all our hopes; for once getting to 
the wheel, they would steer the Maryland down 
to their dismasted consort and get re-enforcements. 
They must be beaten ; and this I explained to the men 
in a few words, and followed them up by ordering a 
volley, of the few arms we had left loaded, to be fired 
into their midst as they stood on the main-deck, 
instead of waiting for their charge to the ladders on 
either side. Four or five fell at the discharge, but 
the rest dividing into two parties charged the ladders 
leading to the quarter-deck, with desperate valor, and 
we received them as best we might. But now 
occurred a diversion that saved us the day. It 
turned out afterwards that the carpenter was not 
forded into the galley as we supposed, but went in 
there of his own free will. The reader must remem- 
ber that these pirates were all of them naked to the 
waist, and armed only with knives and spears. 

He, with his usual ingenuity, the moment he heard 
me speak of hot water, went to his room, and in 
fifteen minutes, as he told us afterwards, out of an 
old piece of lead pipe made an enormous syringe, at 
least two feet long and with a wooden plunger, that 
he soon whittled out of a stick of wood, and made it 
tight to the interior by packing it with oakum. The 



ee page 383 



SAVED BY THE CARPENTER’S SYRINGE 383 


nozzle, as he explained afterwards, was not a master- 
piece, as he simply pounded the lead pipe nearly 
together so as to leave an orifice for the escape of the 
hot water, with which he intended to charge it. The 
pipe was an inch in diameter, and would suck up at 
least a pint of water. We were receiving the pirates 
as best we might, and on my side we were being almost 
forced back from the steps, when out jumped the car- 
penter from the galley, the cook keeping the door 
partly open for him to return, and when half way aft 
to the steps, he let fly the contents of his syringe 
directly upon the naked backs of our opponents, 
and then rushed back to the galley, the door of which 
slammed to as he entered. This was too much for hu- 
man nature to stand, and with screams of agony the at- 
tacking party on my side broke ground, some in their 
agony jumped overboard, and others charged back to 
capture the carpenter, but only to receive another 
charge of boiling water, out of the suddenly opened 
galley window, full in the face, supplemented by a pint- 
pot full, thrown by the cook. Encouraged by his suc- 
cess, and backed by the cook, the carpenter made his 
way out of the port door, and let fly at the crowd that 
were attacking Mr. Frisbee and Mr. Cutter on that side, 
and that ended the battle ; for given a moment’s 
respite, I ordered every man to load a gun at once 
and to shoot down every pirate remaining on deck 
that they could hit. Utterly demoralized, scalded 
with hot water from the carpenter’s infernal syringe. 


384 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


and shot down by the Sharp’s rifles in the hands of 
Mr. Frisbee, the two mates, and myself, screeching 
and howling, they were either killed on deck, or 
jumped overboard to meet death by drowning. 

And finally not one fighting pirate polluted the deck 
of the Maryland, and we sent up three hearty cheers 
for America, home, and victory. 

Even those near the fore-rigging, although despe- 
rately wounded crawled to the side and cast them- 
selves into the sea ; and at Mr. Cutter’s suggestion, 
we did not attempt to prevent them. “Let them 
alone. Captain,” said he. “They know what they 
are about. They will meet with a comparatively 
painless death by drowning, but if they live to 
reach Shanghai, they will not only be beheaded but 
tortured for months before being executed.” 

To this there was no answer, and we left them to 
their well-deserved fate. We squared the yards, and 
headed the bark for Woosung before the freshening 
breeze, which had canted to the westward, so that we 
could lay our course. With our glasses we could see 
that our late dismasted enemy had cut clear from her 
wreck and was running off before the wind with her 
foresail. I presume it was my duty to have pursued 
and sunk her, but we had had enough of fighting, 
and I was not in the mood to see more blood spilled. 

The decks were swabbed up ; all blood stains re- 
moved, and the bodies of poor Chineyboy and Peter 
Ogley brought aft and decently covered with the 


CAPTAIN CUTTER 


385 


American flag. All wounds were dressed, and I had 
to take a stitch in the gallant mate’s face. Mr. Fris- 
bee’s stab turned out to be neither deep nor danger- 
ous, and he was well of it in two weeks after we 
arrived in Shanghai ; and the mate’s face healed so 
as not to leave much of a scar, but enough to mark 
him as a gallant man. My injuries consisted of a few 
slight bruises and cuts of which I was cured in a 
few days. Dee-Dong and Hans Speiler had to be 
carried to the hospital when we arrived, with serious 
wounds, but finally fully recovered; and when the 
Maryland returned from her first voyage dow-n the 
coast to Amoy they were very glad to ship again in 
the old craft under Captain Cutter. As night ap- 
proached, the bodies of Chineyboy and Peter were 
consigned to the deep with appropriate ceremonies. 
This was necessary, as there was no cemetery at 
Woosung, and we might be days in getting up the 
river. The carpenter was praised for saving the ship ; 
and I may as well say here, that shortly after his 
arrival he went to work in the dry dock, and in a few 
months was promoted to the position of foreman of 
the yard, and went home in a few years with a com- 
petency. At about four o’clock we took a Chinese 
pilot, and at nine P.M. were safe at anchor at the 
mouth of the Woosung River. 

A week after we were in Shanghai, where the news 
of our exploit had preceded us, and were the recipi- 
ents of many favors. In a month we were on shore 


386 


LOG OF THE MARYLAND 


(Mr. Frisbee and myself), and deep in the mysteries 
of teas, silks, and drugs. The United-States man-of- 
war Susquehanna, was lying in port; and shortly 
after our arrival, we were invited on board to see the 
commander, who listened to our recital, but decided 
that we had given the rascals such a drubbing that it 
would be no use for him to look for the only one we 
had left afloat. 

Praising us for what he was pleased to call our 
gallant conduct, he dismissed us. A few weeks after- 
wards we received from a messenger sent by him an 
elaborate letter in Chinese painted on satin, which his 
personal letter explained was a letter in the Mandarin 
character from the Tautai of Shanghai, thanking us 
for “ cleansing the sea of these miscreants.” 

And turning over the next page of my log I find 
only this entry, “ End of all incidents appertaining 
to the Maryland. 


Daniel Frisbee, Master^ 







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Ill Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 
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